


Unfrozen

by Redawilo



Category: Hatoful Kareshi | Hatoful Boyfriend
Genre: BBL spoilers, M/M, Other characters make brief appearances, Post-BBL, there might be sex in future chapters so rating will become Explicit if that happens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-05-18 08:57:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5918674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redawilo/pseuds/Redawilo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After three years, Sakuya is finally able to fulfill his promise to wake Ryouta up. Things have changed since Ryouta had been frozen, and he's still reeling from everything that had happened during the Hurtful ordeal. Sakuya is determined to be there for him through every step of his recovery.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wake Up

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote and posted this on tumblr about six months ago. I meant it to be super fluffy, but somewhere along the lines it got heavy...and then back to fluffy. I'm noticing a pattern when it comes to my attempts at fluff...
> 
> This fic incorporates some headcanons of mine, as do most of my fics. I hope you don't find them too awful, lol!
> 
> Lastly I would like to warn that the chances of this coming to a real conclusion is very, very slim. I am bad about finishing multi-chaptered fics. So I'd advise you to take each chapter as its own, and try not to get too excited about the prospects of future chapters.

“Wake up, Kawara! Tosaka, I told you I wouldn’t go back on my word!”

Ryouta slowly opened his eyes. A dark blur of a room was all he could make out. He blinked once…twice…trying to get his tired, red orbs to focus. He could feel the presences of Nageki and Hiyoko still beside him, still around him. Sleep clung to his eyes still, and he brought up a hand to rub at them. His body ached. Even though he was frozen the whole time, the ground was hardly a comfortable place to lie for as long as he had been. Or perhaps it was just a remnant of being frozen? Maybe both? He didn’t know, and he didn’t want to think about it too hard. He couldn’t bring himself to care. He was so tired.

A bright light suddenly bathed the room, and he quickly closed his eyes and raised an arm to try and block it out. A figure approached him. He couldn’t tell who it was, but there were others behind them, all looking at Ryouta. They had all been talking when the door opened, but now they were all completely silent. The figure knelt down in front of him and offered their hand. Through his blurry vision, Ryouta could just make out familiar light blue locks of hair.

“I said to wake up, Kawara. You said it yourself that Japan is the country of courtesy. It is impolite to keep everyone waiting.”

The voice that spoke to him was just a little deeper than he had remembered, but it was still unmistakably that of Sakuya. Ryouta’s hand shook as he took the other bird’s. Hiyoko had said that Sakuya was stronger than he looked and could even swim really well, but Ryouta hadn’t believed her until now. The ease of which the fantail hoisted him to his feet was incredible. Ryouta staggered, and Sakuya braced him with a hand on his shoulder until he was steady before letting go of his hand. Keeping contact with his shoulder, Sakuya slowly led the stumbling Ryouta out of the freezer. Before the doors were closed behind them, Ryouta glanced back, hoping to catch a glimpse of the two who had kept him company while he was sealed off from the rest of the world. A part of him had been expecting the nothingness he saw within, but there was still a stinging pain in his chest. Sakuya of course noticed his longing look, but had other priorities before speaking with him about what he had been through and what had happened in the world without him.

All Ryouta wanted to do was lie down in a proper bed and get some real sleep, but before he was allowed to, he was laid out on an examination table. While some birds Ryouta did not know began to check his vitals, Sakuya stepped out of his view to have a word with an ever familiar and not particularly welcomed partridge. Ryouta knew it was Doctor Iwamine, even with his vision as bad as it was. He suspected that the others who were involved that day, others who had been close to Hiyoko, had been present when he was unfrozen, but he assumed they were not allowed in the room with him at the moment. 

His eyes slipped shut, but for how long he did not know. It probably was not more than a few seconds, as he was woken by Sakuya shouting at him and shaking him lightly by the shoulder. The fantail said something he didn’t quite catch, but Ryouta guessed it had been a warning when he felt a needle prick his skin. It didn’t hurt, but it wasn’t comfortable. Ryouta let out a groan, or at least he thought he did. He must have, because Sakuya shot him a look and said, “Hang in there a little longer. We’ll let you get some rest soon.”

True to his word, it was only minutes until Sakuya helped him off the table again and guided him out into the hall. Ryouta’s vision had cleared up enough that he could confirm who had been there upon his waking. Yuuya, Okosan, and Anghel were all present, as he expected. What surprised him was that not only had Docter Iwamine been there, but so was Mister Nanaki, and he had taken up the task of pushing the doctor’s wheelchair once he entered the hallway. Wait, why was the doctor in a wheelchair in the first place? Ryouta felt like he should remember, but walking took all of his focus, even though he was leaning heavily against Sakuya.

He could tell the others were eager to talk to him, but they probably weren’t allowed to yet. He didn’t mind. He was just glad that they had all come to see him. Talking could come later. He was led into a dark room and the door was closed behind him and Sakuya. It was just the two of them alone in the windowless room, and the only furniture was a bed and a rather uncomfortable-looking chair like one would find in a waiting room. Ryouta’s laying down was less of his own will and closer to a combination of Sakuya pushing him down onto the bed mixed with allowing gravity to take over. Ryouta had heard the term “asleep the moment the head hit the pillow”, but had never experienced such a thing before falling onto that bed. He was only vaguely aware that Sakuya had pulled a sheet over him and sat down in the chair before he slipped back into unconsciousness, this time being a restful one.

*****

The room was still dark when Ryouta came to again. Sakuya hadn’t turned on any lights, but the faint glow of a cell phone screen illuminated his face. The fantail must have heard Ryouta shift in the bed because he looked up only half a second after the rock dove’s red eyes landed on his faintly lit features.

“Sakuya…” Ryouta whispered. He suddenly felt his throat was extremely dry, but he pushed on with his question. “How long have I been asleep?”

“In this room; about five hours.” Sakuya replied. Ryouta briefly wondered if the fantail had been in the room the whole time, too. Sakuya pocketed his phone, sending them further into darkness before clicking on a small lamp on a counter that Ryouta hadn’t noticed. Sakuya picked up a bottle of water that had been sitting beside it. He broke the seal on the cap and made sure Ryouta’s hands were steady before letting him take it. Ryouta drank a quarter of it easily and let out a long, contented sigh. The water was room temperature and had probably been waiting for him since he had been brought in, but it still felt refreshing. After letting the dove take another gulp, Sakuya dragged his chair closer and sat down again. “You will need more rest, but if you are feeling well enough, I am willing to answer some of your questions now.”

Ryouta’s mind drew a blank. Or rather, so many questions sprang to mind that he couldn’t pick just one to ask. Sakuya could see the conflict cross his face and offered instead, “Would you like to know how long you have been frozen?” Not sure what else to inquire about first off the top of his head, Ryouta nodded.

“Three years.”

Ryouta’s eyes widened. Now that he mentioned it, Sakuya did look older. It wasn’t a very big change, perhaps his hair was a little shorter, but the fantail had acquired the faint air of maturity about him that other 20 year olds Ryouta had met previously possessed.

“St. Pigeonation’s had to be shut down for the remainder of the year after the incident. Doctor Iwamine’s plans to shake up the relationship between avian and humankind didn’t just end with your being frozen. The fact remained that Tosaka, the human representative, had been killed. Thankfully no one else in the school got killed, but there was still collateral damage before the rest of us could hurry and explain what had happened. The Hawk Party, which was raring to go after the revolting humans, was forced to back down once Mr. Leone revealed that an agent of theirs had been behind the death and all events attached to it. The Doves stepped in and cleaned up the school and made some changes to its staff and system. All blame was laid upon Doctor Iwamine.”

“So why is he here?” Ryouta asked bitterly. He was taken aback by his own tone. He knew he had every right to hate the man, but that strange feeling that had crept up on him while he and Sakuya were trying to solve Hiyoko’s murder was weaseling its way back into his heart, and he tried to shake it off.

“I’ve told you that before, Kawa-”

“Ryouta.” The rock dove interjected.

“…Kawara.” Sakuya stressed before continuing. “Doctor Iwamine is the world leader in pathology. Without his help, we would never have been able to cure the disease so quickly. I cannot say that I find his presence here today any more comforting than you do, but we cannot deny that he has been an asset. And you should not either.”

“Did he at least serve jail time?”

Sakuya shook his head. “He was taken straight to a hospital as soon as was possible.” With his rest, Ryouta was able to vaguely remember that the doctor had been shot twice. “Even when the blame was shifted onto him, the rest of us involved deemed him too invaluable to put into prison. We were told that he would be under house arrest, and that a capable bird would be put in charge of keeping an eye on him.” The fantail released a sigh. “I do not think any of us imagined that bird would be Mister Nanaki.”

“So that’s why he was pushing the doctor’s wheelchair.”

“They claim it is his way of making up for putting him in the chair in the first place. But yes, that appears to be the real reason. Frankly I can’t imagine a better bird for the job; Mister Nanaki has just as many screws loose as the doctor, perhaps even more.”

“What about the others? What have they been doing?

“Those of us directly involved in this mess were allowed to move ahead a year when the school reopened. Yuuya graduated, of course. He and Mr. Leone have been doing heaven-knows-what, but he claims they are lending their hands to the Dove Party’s human relations branch. Even though the blame had been clearly placed, there are still those humans who see the whole thing as reason for a declaration of war. I haven’t spoken much to Oko or Higure, but they both look well enough.”

“And what about you?”

“I took up the head of the research team that Doctor Iwamine hand-picked to find your cure. I haven’t received any official medical training, but no one questions when a Le Bel flexes their authoritative muscles! The doctor also approved of my position.”

Ryouta couldn’t help the little smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. Hearing that the others had been living their lives and working to maintain peace was as amazing to hear as it was relieving. But hearing that Sakuya had such an active hand in aiding his recovery made little butterflies appear in his stomach. He thought maybe Sakuya had picked up on this, as he could see the fantail suppressing a smile of his own. Ryouta decided to chug down more of his water instead of trying to break the somewhat awkward silence that was forming between them.

By the time he had finished half the bottle only one more question remained in Ryouta’s head. It was one that he wanted to ask, but also felt terrified of getting the answer to. Sakuya only waited patiently; whether or not he knew what was coming, he wanted it to be Ryouta who spoke next.

“What about…my mother?” Ryouta asked in a whisper. His hands were shaking as he screwed on the cap of the water bottle and he avoided eye contact with Sakuya, bracing for the impact he wasn’t sure if he was prepared for.

“Dead.” Sakuya said plainly. Ryouta cringed and brought his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs. He looked to be on the verge of tears, but was clearly trying to put on a strong front. “Once things had calmed down enough, I went to her and explained the entire situation down to the last detail. Of course she was upset, but your mother…she was a strong woman. I put her under the care of the Le Bels. She tried to refuse at first, but I insisted. We compromised and she lived on her own and went to work as usual, but I covered any and all medical expenses.” There was a moment of hesitation before Sakuya added, “I would visit her on the weekends to see how she was doing. Your mother made very delicious tea.”

Ryouta nodded faintly.

“Three months after I took her into my care, she fell very ill. She was in the hospital for three weeks after that. On the 22nd, she suddenly wanted her will to be written. She left whatever she could to me to do with as I saw fit, knowing that I would be the one to wake you one day. She passed away on Christmas Eve.”

Tears finally slipped from Ryouta’s eyes and slowly rolled down his cheeks. Sakuya waited to see if he would ask any follow up questions, but he didn’t. So Sakuya continued of his own accord.

“I’ve been personally maintaining your house and everything in it. As much as I do not want to give Tosaka’s teasings any merit, I must admit that I have become quite accustomed to cleaning. Once you are properly rested, we can discuss the legalities of returning your mother’s assets to you.”

Ryouta gave another nod. Sakuya’s brow furrowed just a little in contemplation. He rose from his chair and awkwardly sat on the edge of the bed. He gingerly placed an arm around Ryouta’s shoulders. After an uncomfortable pause, Ryouta threw dignity to the wind and hugged Sakuya around his middle, burying his face into the fantail’s chest and sobbing. The flustered Sakuya struggled to figure out where to put his hands; eventually deciding to place them on Ryouta’s back and occasionally stroking it in order to comfort the crying dove.

“I-I kn-know it’s been years…b-but it feels like I’ve…like I’ve l-lost so much i-in just one day…I d-don’t know if I can st-sta-stand this, Saku…ya.” Ryouta choked out between sobs.

The fantail knew it was going to be rough on Ryouta, and he thought he had been prepared to help see him through this…but even when Ryouta had given up after learning the truth behind Hiyoko’s death, Sakuya had never seen him so frail and helpless before. He tried to think of something to say, but he had never had reason to learn how to comfort someone before, and no amount of reading sappy romance novels could have prepared him for this… Not that he had read any of Mrs. Kawara’s collection over the years! Instead he just waited in silence for the rock dove to calm down again, still holding him and stroking his back tenderly. Even when Ryouta’s sobs had subsided and the tears had mostly dried themselves from his eyes, the two still held each other. Ryouta feeling pathetic at the thought that had formed in his mind that if he were to let Sakuya go, he would lose him, too; and Sakuya having no idea how to break the intimacy of the action no matter how awkward it was getting.

“Would you like to hear something special?” Sakuya tried, his voice coming out more of a whisper than he had intended. There was a pause before he felt the nod against his chest. “You are not to tell Yuuya this, but I have begun making steps to change my name and to distance myself from my father.” Ryouta shifted and peered silently up at the fantail. His eyes were more red than usual, but there was a spark of curiosity all the same. “No matter what Yuuya says, I cannot hate the man who raised me, even if…even if what he did was cruel. But he and I are not blood, and once this is all over, I intend to dispose of my name as a Le Bel. So...while I do not wish for this to get out yet…I would like it very much if you would think of me as a Sakazaki.”

The rock dove sniffled and shifted again, this time pulling away from Sakuya’s chest so they could see eye-to-eye better. “Sakazaki Sakuya … I kind of like the sound of that.” His voice was still weak, but he wasn’t hiccupping out his words anymore. “Oh, but first, I want you to do something for me.”

“That depends.”

Ryouta cast him a bashful smile. “Call me by my given name, ‘Ryouta’.”

“Kawara…” Sakuya growled warningly, but Ryouta was unperturbed.

“You can do it for Yuuya now, so I think you should be able to do it for me. Especially after all we’ve been through and all you’ve done for me. We’re friends, Sakuya. We have been since the first day we were in class together whether you think so or not.”

Sakuya gritted his teeth, but the look Ryouta was giving him was earnest and said he wasn’t about to back down on this.

“Fine!” Sakuya exclaimed before avoiding eye contact. “Ryouta…” he muttered as softly as he thought he could get away with.

He heard what he thought was another sob and quickly looked back at the rock dove out of worry. He flushed brightly at the huge, tearful grin on Ryouta’s face. Sakuya quickly extracted himself from Ryouta’s grip and stood up from the bed. He picked up the bottle that had been sitting abandoned on the bed and thrust it into Ryouta’s hands, once more avoiding eye contact.

“Finish drinking this and go back to sleep. I have some things I must to see to.” He said quickly. “The others also want to talk to you, and I want to know what happened with you while you were frozen. I imagine that Fujishiro and Tosaka kept you company. But for now you need your rest more than anything.”

Sakuya quickly made his way to the door, and barely opened it a crack before hesitating and looking back at Ryouta.

“It’s good to see you again…Ryouta.”

Once more the rock dove shot the fantail a bright, cheerful smile. “Same to you, Sakazaki Sakuya.”

Sakuya blushed again and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Ryouta let out a giggle before forcing the rest of the water into his stomach. When he lay down again, it suddenly hit him just how tired he still was. There was plenty left that needed to be done, but Sakuya was right. More than anything, sleep was what he needed the most. As he closed his eyes and began to drift off again, he realized, faintly, that the butterflies in his stomach hadn’t subsided even once since they first appeared.


	2. Return Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryouta begins the real recovery phase, which includes catching up with those he knew in school as well as returning to his now empty house. Thankfully, Sakuya asks if he can move in with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written a short time after the first chapter. So any new updates from here on out will be completely new!

It had been a lot for Ryouta to take in. Three years had gone by, and while he had been aware that time was passing, he hadn’t thought it had been so long and he was not at all informed about what was going on outside the freezer. His friends had all graduated and moved on, his teacher and the doctor were caught up in some complicated relationship, and his mother was dead and Sakuya had been taking care of everything dealing with her and Ryouta alike.

After waking ten hours after falling asleep a second time, Ryouta’s first feeling was that he was very hungry. He didn’t ask when Sakuya re-entered his room not minutes after he woke with a meal for him. He had a sneaking suspicion that there was some way his friend and the medical staff had a way of monitoring him, but he didn’t care enough to get details. He just felt thankful for the food and care. After eating, the others who had come to his awakening were allowed to visit with him. Not wanting to talk much about himself, Ryouta instead questioned what everyone else had been doing. Anghel enthusiastically informed him in his own Anghel-y way that he was being published in some big magazine called the Golden Weekly. Ryouta congratulated him, and before he could even say he was looking forward to reading it, Anghel thrust a bag containing every single issue into his hands. Yuuya and Leone were indeed working on human relations, but kept any specifics vague. Ryouta didn’t mind, it was the nature of their jobs. Kazuaki had the same sleepy air and tone about him, but never once fell asleep during the whole visit (just as he had never fallen asleep during the whole Hurtful ordeal). He merely stated that while he still worked at St. Pigeonation’s, assisting Shuu was currently his primary focus. The doctor didn’t bother to talk, instead letting his presence and condition speak for itself. Ryouta had to wonder if the two weren’t still about ready to slit each other’s throats at any second. Okosan went on and on about a quest he had been on since he was allowed to be unsupervised. He said he was searching for ‘the true pudding’ and asked if Ryouta had seen anything like it while he was asleep. Ryouta told him that no, he hadn’t, and Okosan shouted that he was hoping Ryouta would have had visions of it, but that he would consider taking Ryouta along with him anyway. Ryouta declined the offer.

Finally, somebody asked what it had been like while he had been frozen. Sakuya, who had so far remained quiet and uninterested in the conversation, turned his head towards Ryouta, just as curious as the rest. The rock dove knew the question had been coming, so he had been trying to think of how to explain it. He still wasn’t sure if he would be able to make it make any sense.

“Nageki and Hiyoko were there with me the whole time. At least, I think they were. The only time I ever felt any sort of consciousness, the only time I was ever aware of anything was when they would talk to me. I told Hiyoko all about what had happened that day; it probably took me a while to explain it all. After that, Nageki told us stories about what it had been like for him these past five years.” Kazuaki noticeably kept his eyes off of Ryouta while the rock dove recounted how the mourning dove would fall asleep, and awaken days later either down in the medical facility or in the library, and how he was only vaguely aware of the time that had passed by the few regular students who would be in the library.

“Hiyoko didn’t have a lot to say that I didn’t already know, but she loved to share tales of what she had done while living alone.” He chuckled a little. “I don’t think Nageki knew how much of a brute she was before.” His expression saddened and his smile became faint. “Both of them were so good to me the whole time. I either never felt alone, or I felt nothing. I’m pretty sure both of them have passed on now that I’m awake, and if that’s true, I hope they get to stay together for a long time still.”

Ryouta wasn’t sure what anyone was thinking, though he suspected Shuu was at least mildly intrigued by his recounting of what it was like, and that Kazuaki was hoping Nageki was happy. It was Yuuya of all people who disrupted the unusual silence of no one knowing what to say.

“As much as I would love to stay and keep my cute underclassman company, I believe we have overstayed our welcome.” He turned to Leone. “We have business to attend to.”

Leone nodded. “Take care of yourself, kid. We’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

“I’m sure you will.” Ryouta laughed.

Anghel and Okosan followed suite, the Luzon stating that he had a deadline to meet and hadn’t worked on it at all since he left to meet everyone else for the big event. Of course, it took him about three times as many words and Ryouta about a minute to decipher what he was saying. Okosan was eager to resume his search for pudding, and Ryouta was just fine with letting him do his thing. The doctor merely said something about ‘the children’ and that he still had work to do at home. Kazuaki seemed to understand and began wondering what to make for dinner as he gave his own good-bye and wheeled the doctor out the door. Finally it was just Ryouta and Sakuya again. The fantail waited for the door to be shut completely behind them before taking a seat in the only chair again.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

Ryouta’s smile was almost as bright as it had been before the whole ordeal began three years ago. “You asked me that both before you fed me and let everyone else talk to me. I’m still feeling much better.”

“So you are still recovering.” Was the conclusion Sakuya came to. “That is expected. You’ll have to remain here for a few more days. We need to ensure that you are fully recovered physically.”

“I had a feeling. So um…what about my mother’s house?”

“As I said, it is currently in my care. It and everything within shall be yours. Because of legalities I must ask for some form of monetary compensation, but the price I ask is minimal. I assume you will be able to pay a single yen?” Ryouta agreed. Earlier he found that he still had his wallet in his pocket and had more than enough on his person to cover that. “Very well. We can settle that when you are released from here. There is one other matter I wish to discuss with you.”

There were any number of things Ryouta was still troubled about, but he had no idea what this single matter could be that Sakuya would ignore anything else. He urged the fantail to continue.

“When I say that I wish to separate myself from my father that includes housing and being under his financial care entirely. Thanks to my work on this project, I have the means to rent a small apartment for myself, but I find Japanese apartments much too small and uninsulated.” For a moment Ryouta wondered if Sakuya could ever adapt to being one of the ‘mongrels’ he so often berated while they went to school together. He kept this thought to himself, but the look he gave Sakuya spoke volumes about his opinion on the matter. “Three years does not easily erase what seventeen has taught, Ka- Ryouta.” Apparently half a day also could not easily erase what three and a half years had taught, although Sakuya was clearly trying. “What I mean to say is I wish to keep an eye on your condition, and I think that in light of my aiding you, I had been thinking that perhaps you could allow me to stay at your residence.”

For some reason the butterflies came back to Ryouta’s stomach. Sakuya had not been looking him in the eye when he said that, and something about this fact made Ryouta wonder if he wouldn’t be feeling so anxious if the fantail hadn’t so obviously felt uncomfortable with asking. But no matter what his nerves said, Ryouta wasn’t one to turn down a friend who had nowhere else to go…even if that ‘nowhere else’ was more like ‘no other first choice’.

“Th-that’s fine!” Ryouta exclaimed louder than he had meant to. He quickly dropped his voice down to a normal volume before continuing. “It would probably benefit us both after all! You wouldn’t have to look for a place to live, and I wouldn’t have to become accustomed to the world as it is now alone.” Sakuya smiled at him, satisfied that Ryouta had followed his logic. “Just one question…”

“Yes?” Sakuya asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I plan to go back to doing odd jobs like working at the maid café. Before, I wanted to attend college, but after everything I don’t particularly want to go back to school right away in order to do that.” Sakuya clearly understood what he meant without him having to say it. “So I’ll probably just drop out. But what about you? I don’t mind you staying with me, but I don’t want you to just be a freeloader.”

“I am going to become a musician.”

The clear and honest answer caught Ryouta off guard. He remembered Hiyoko saying something about Sakuya often being in the music room, but he hadn’t thought the fantail had an actual passion for it. “I never knew you could play anything.”

“It is something my father disapproved of, and I was not in the mindset to become close with anyone, so I never felt the need to mention my passions. The piano is something that I have long sought to do as more than a mere hobby. Between keeping your house in good condition and working towards your cure, I have been making the steps needed to become a professional.” Sakuya explained simply. Ryouta couldn’t help but marvel at how busy his friend must have been. “I have already made several performances locally at venues, plays, and the like. Everyone must start somewhere.”

Impressed was the least one could say about how Ryouta felt. He wondered if he shouldn’t take back how he felt about Sakuya having a hard time adjusting to ‘mongrel’ life. The fantail was clearly willing to be at the bottom of the barrel if it meant doing what he loved instead of what had always been expected of him since hatching. He would trade his life of decadence in order to take a stab at making his own name for himself. It was that side of Sakuya that Ryouta was sure allowed them to become friends in any sense of the word. If Sakuya had just been a haughty jerk born with a silver spoon in his beak and never willing to settle for anything less, not even Hiyoko would have been able to spend time with him.

“What are you staring at me like that for?” Sakuya suddenly asked, snapping Ryouta out of his thoughts. “Has the freezer made you slow?”

Ryouta let out a nervous laugh and a grin so broad and bright lit his face that for a second Sakuya could once again see the carefree Hiyoko’s right-hand man from his school days. “I was just thinking how great it is to be your friend, that’s all! I’ll support you every step of the way, Sakuya. I want to see your name up in lights one day!”

It was Sakuya’s turn to be flustered, his cheeks lighting up red again. He shifted in his chair, trying to recompose himself. Ryouta watched him, wondering if Sakuya would make some snide remark about not needing his support. Instead he got, in little more than a whisper, “Thank you…” and Ryouta was sure that the words had made his heart beat a small fraction faster.

*****

The time came for Ryouta to leave the medical facility. The building had been reopened only for the purpose of getting his cure, and would be closed down again and possibly demolished soon. It was late afternoon when he was released, mostly so that any students would have left already and there would be no staring eyes or questions asked. Sakuya walked beside him; carrying the magazines Anghel had given him as well as one of four bouquets Ryouta had been gifted. While everyone was present at his waking, none of them had wanted to get him anything that might cause him problems until they were certain that he was well, so the flowers had all only arrived the day before.

The walk to Ryouta’s house from the school was now one that both of them knew all too well. While the roads were the same, and the buildings and sights had not changed drastically, Ryouta could still sense that everything had gone through some alteration of some sort. The birds he had become accustomed to seeing in different places at that time of day were either not around, or looked older. The advertisements didn’t have the celebrities and idols he knew, and there was even one poster hanging somewhere about a sequel to a movie that he had never heard of. He let out a little sigh, knowing it would take him some time to get used to everything again.

“I wonder what my old boss would think if I went into the café tomorrow…” Ryouta mumbled.

“If you mean the one where you told me to call you ‘Coolene’, then the owner and manager have both been informed of your predicament.” Sakuya stated matter-of-factly.

Ryouta looked up at him, wondering briefly if Sakuya had always been just a little taller or if that was due to him being older now. “What part? That I was frozen or…?”

“All of it.” He admitted. It showed on his face how uncomfortable he was with dealing with Ryouta’s old crossdressing work, but he explained it anyway. “Your manager came by your house once the commotion had died down. Your mother and I explained the situation to him then, and I asked him if he would be willing to hire you again should you wish it when you woke. He said it was alright by him, but just to make sure I checked back the day before you were unfrozen. He was thrilled to hear the news, and told me to beg you to go back.” Sakuya tried to suppress the disgust on his face and in his voice. “He said that none of the other boys, or girls for that matter, he’s hired all these years could work a skirt quite like you.”

Ryouta snickered at that. “I’m glad to hear it! So if I went into the café tomorrow…”

“If you do, make sure you let them all know that you are not allowed to begin working until the weekend. There is plenty that needs to be dealt with before you settle into a routine.”

The rock dove nodded. “I’ll stop by tomorrow, then.”

“Are you listening?” Sakuya asked, but only got another laugh as a response.

*****

Living with Sakuya didn’t officially start right away. Ryouta had a day to himself to settle in. Sakuya had kept most of the house exactly as it had been since Mrs. Kawara’s death, and as such there wasn’t much different from how it had been since Ryouta had left it the morning of the Hurtful ordeal. Just as he had said, Sakuya had obviously become skilled with cleaning, as Ryouta found not a speck of dust anywhere, and even the furniture smelled clean and the beds’ sheets freshly laundered. Speaking of beds, Ryouta was surprised to find that the empty guest room was lightly furnished. A bed, a work desk, a chair, and a chest of drawers were inside, and he suspected the closet even had clothes in it. Sakuya explained that he found it a waste of time to only be there to clean, and had decided to move a few of his belongings in so that he would not have to go all the way back home on the same day.

Ryouta agreed that it was a smart thing to do, but also added, “This used to be Hiyoko’s room.” Sakuya wasn’t sure how to take that news, and remained silent as a result. Without more than a moment of grief crossing his face, Ryouta clarified, “Its fine. She hadn’t lived here in several years even when we were all in school. It was wasted space. Better you use it than it remain that way.”

Still feeling a little weird about taking the room, Sakuya decided there was nothing more to be said or done about it. He was sure that Ryouta was not ready for somebody to take his mother’s room, and it would have been even weirder had Sakuya intruded upon his.

During the hours that Ryouta had to himself to become reacquainted with his house, he scoured the place from top to bottom, making a list of things that he wanted to do once Sakuya returned. There were things he wanted to throw out, some he wanted to pack into boxes and store for later, others he wanted to take to a pawn shop or donate, and still other things would need to be purchased for the both of them. By ten o’ clock, the rock dove had worn himself out. He got his first shower at home in three years, feeling the hot water more amazing than usual, possibly because he had been so cold for so long…or it could have been that he felt dirty after not getting to shower every day when he was still at the medical facility. Either way, when he lay down on his old bed, he barely had the chance to enjoy the familiar way it sank beneath him before drifting off to sleep.

The following day was more of the previous evening for Ryouta. He hesitated several times outside of his mother’s room, not sure if he was ready to begin deciding what to do with everything there yet. So instead he went over his list and made adjustments as he saw fit. Despite Sakuya having a key, the fantail still rang the doorbell and waited for Ryouta to answer. He hadn’t brought much with him, stating that his belongings were still being packed by his father’s staff. Given how busy Sakuya had been, Ryouta decided not to chastise him about letting others do things for him. Instead he let Sakuya see the list of what he wanted done and explained it in detail. The fantail had little to add or argue, and Ryouta was just fine with that. There were a few times it appeared Sakuya had wanted to ask about Mrs. Kawara’s room, but didn’t. Ryouta was thankful for that.

Lunch was Sakuya’s treat, and he went to a nearby convenience store to pick up some instant meals. Ryouta couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up from him at the realization that while Sakuya could clean and do laundry now, he was still clueless about other domestic chores. As Sakuya passed him his share of the food, Ryouta commented that he would have to do the cooking for the two of them from now on. The intimacy of such a statement didn’t escape either of them, and Sakuya shot him a disturbed look and Ryouta was quick to insist that he would rather do all the cooking than eat junk food all time and that was all he meant.

Just as Ryouta had thought, Sakuya’s dishwashing knowledge extended no further than how to clean utensils. Thankfully that was all that needed to be done right then, but it was another thing Ryouta added to his mental list of things he would have to teach the fantail. Cooking was one thing, but he didn’t want to have to do every last chore if he didn’t have to, and he figured they could split the cleaning and laundry as it was. Once that was done, Ryouta decided to make good on his decision to visit the café. He offered for Sakuya to come along, but said offer was quickly refused.

And so Ryouta went out on his own. He tried not to let the small details that reminded him just how much time has gone by get to him. Even the somewhat aged face of his old manager and a few of his former coworkers was disheartening, but they were still just as friendly as ever and were eager to have him back. After a short interview of sorts, the manager agreed to rehire him again, and Ryouta was scheduled to go in on Monday. He checked his wallet before leaving, and decided that he had just enough to buy some ingredients on the way home.

Sakuya didn’t quite know what to make of the bags in Ryouta’s arms when he returned. It wasn’t that it didn’t occur to him that Ryouta would buy anything, but that he had no idea why Ryouta would need as many ingredients as he had bought. The rock dove explained that it wasn’t just for dinner, but that he had to restock the fridge, pantry, and cabinets too, and that it was going to take a few shopping trips to do that. Having no knowledge of the how such things worked, Sakuya decided that it sounded logical enough and let Ryouta go about his business. That evening was the first time Sakuya tasted Ryouta’s cooking, and while it had a ways to go to compete with Mrs. Kawara’s, Sakuya couldn’t help but think that it tasted better than the food his kitchen staff had prepared for him on a regular basis for the longest time. Not that he said that aloud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, "the children" which Shuu mentions are definitely Miru and Kaku, because Dad!Shuu makes me incredibly happy.


	3. Routine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first real part to Ryouta's road to recovery comes in the form of building a daily routine with his new housemate. This does not mean he still does not have some troubles to work out, however. And it appears even Sakuya is apprehensive about a few things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It turns out that I had written most of this chapter not long after the second, but never uploaded it anywhere. I remember now that it took me several tries to make it go the way I wanted it to, but after rereading it, I'm actually pretty happy with how it turned out!

Ryouta’s return to daily life was fairly quick. Over the weekend he and Sakuya worked to move in a few of Sakuya’s belongings, as well as knocked out several of the things Ryouta had put on his list. Already having his room furnished, all Sakuya had brought from his previous life as a Le Bel was a piano, clothing, and couple boxes of personal items he wanted to hang on to. The two rearranged the living room a bit to make room for the piano, but otherwise did not change much. Ryouta began to pack up items that had belonged to his mother. Things like knick-knacks on shelves, and her belongings in the bathroom and kitchen got stored for the time being in her unused bedroom to be sorted through later with the rest of her room. Ryouta also made it a point to bring Sakuya along on his shopping trips. The fantail protested at first, but Ryouta insisted that he learn how to buy groceries. It also served as a way to carry more so that fewer trips would have to be made.

When Monday rolled around, Ryouta was enthusiastically out the door before ten to begin, or perhaps resume, his job as at the maid café. Sakuya was visibly uncomfortable by how excited Ryouta appeared to be to get back to wearing a dress and serving strange men and women for a living, but said nothing. If it paid the bills, he had no room to complain. While Ryouta still looked, acted, and felt seventeen, the three years of being frozen did not affect his birth year. With Sakuya’s permission, the rock dove’s manager knowingly allowed the under-aged Ryouta to work full-time, which meant that he would get home fairly late. The few shopping trips had paid off, as all Ryouta had to do was write a list for Sakuya before leaving and the fantail would buy what they needed for dinner so that Ryouta could go straight home and cook for them. Their dinner was still at a rather late time, close to eight or even nine o’ clock at night, but again Sakuya could not complain as he was not the one doing the cooking.

By Friday, the two had more or less settled into a routine. Sakuya would wake the earliest and go for a run before breakfast. By the time he returned, Ryouta would be up and working on breakfast, so Sakuya would shower. After breakfast Sakuya would do the dishes while Ryouta got himself ready for his day. Ryouta would leave before lunch, meaning Sakuya had to fend for himself by making something simple or getting a convenience store meal. During the afternoon, Sakuya would practice piano and go searching for work of his own. Before coming back, he would pick up what Ryouta had told him to buy. Ryouta would come home, make their dinner, and do the dishes. Afterward they had a few hours before going to bed.

On Friday evening, Ryouta could hear the piano as he walked up the front steps. It was not the first time he had heard Sakuya play, but his hand hesitated on the doorknob and he listened for a moment. He clutched the bag he had been carrying closer as he tried to identify what sort of tune was being playing. It was a gentle, relaxing melody, not unlike something that could be heard at a fancy restaurant or bar. He was about to close his eyes and listen more when the song ended abruptly. Confused, Ryouta waited to see if Sakuya would start playing again, and when he didn’t, the rock dove cautiously opened the door.

“I’m home.” He called out softly.

“Welcome back.” Sakuya replied, sounding as normal as ever.

“I’ll get started on dinner in a minute.”

Sakuya closed the lid of the piano and rose to his feet. “Do you need any he-” he stopped when he saw the bag that Ryouta was almost trying to hide as the rock dove made his way towards his bedroom. “What is that?”

“Wh-what?” Ryouta asked in unconvincing ignorance. He glanced down at the bag in his arms. “Oh, this! Um, right. This…” his eyes darted everywhere but at his housemate. Sakuya raised an eyebrow, and Ryouta let out a sigh of defeat and began to explain himself. “Well, you see… Eight hour shifts in heels are a lot harder than four. So I bought a pair for myself so I can get used to wearing them for so long faster.”

“You plan to wear heels outside now?” Sakuya asked, unsure if he should be repulsed by the idea of being seen with a younger male who was wearing heels.

“No, just around the house a little. You know, while cooking and cleaning.” Ryouta reached into the bag and with some fussing removed one of the shoes. The heel was fairly short, just over an inch tall. The shoe itself was a faded blue and plain in design, the kind a young girl with a vague or budding interest in fashion might choose to wear. “They’re not as tall as the ones I wear at work, but they were cheap and the shorter heel won’t hurt my feet as much while I get used to wearing them all the time.” Ryouta explained.

The fantail could only shake his head. “I suppose if it helps you to do your job properly, I won’t object.” He sighed. “Now do you need my help with dinner?”

Ryouta thought about it as he tucked the heel back into the bag. “If you could get the rice started, it would be a big help.”

Sakuya nodded and made his way towards the kitchen. Ryouta waited until he was just out of earshot before chuckling. Hiyoko had been right, Sakuya may not look it, but he was very good at taking directions and following them. Ryouta felt a pain in his chest as he remembered Hiyoko’s grinning face as she told him about the first time she made Sakuya clean the student council room. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the thought and hurried into his room. He removed his socks and slipped on a pair of stockings he had also purchased. They were skin toned, and like the shoes were fairly cheap. After getting said shoes on, he left his room and made his way to the kitchen with practiced steps.

The fantail had just finished his task when Ryouta entered the room. Sakuya took one look at his feet in the heels and left to get out of Ryouta’s way. Ryouta prepared their dinner as usual, not once slipping up or remotely losing his balance. Sakuya sat on the sofa reading one of many books that had been on Ryouta’s bookshelf. It was a mystery novel, probably belonging to Mrs. Kawara. Every now and again he would look up from it, marveling in silence at the rock dove’s apparent comfort in the strange footwear. It was far from the first time he had seen Ryouta wear something like them, as they had both worked their class’s maid café (not that Sakuya would ever admit to having worn something so degrading), and he had seen him at work once before. But it had been a long while for him since either of those things had happened, so it was more like a refresher of Ryouta’s bizarre talents.

After their meal, Sakuya made the offer to do the dishes. Ryouta almost turned it down, but decided against it. Instead the rock dove took a turn sitting on the couch, slipping off the heels and stockings. He let out a sigh and stared up at the ceiling. All at once he wished he had insisted on doing the chore they had come to have him do. Being allowed a moment’s peace called forth yet another memory of Hiyoko to Ryouta’s mind, this time of the last time she had had dinner with him and his mother. It had been during the summer of their first year. She had stopped by to return his notes that he had lent her, and the offer had been made for her to stay and eat with them. At the time it made Ryouta feel a bit flustered, he was eating dinner with the girl he liked, at his home. It felt foolish now, thinking that it had felt like they were newlyweds. After all, his mother was there with them and she had prepared the meal. Another pain shot at his chest, and Ryouta clutched the front of his shirt as he instead stared at the floor.

Hiyoko…it had never occurred to him, even once, that she would one day never be there for him. Birds live shorter lives than humans, so he always assumed she would be the one left grieving. Even if all of his fantasies of them getting married and adopting two or three children never came true, he had thought the two of them would still have some kind of future together. Now all of those thoughts that had once caused his heart to beat so fast only made him feel awful. Never again would he hear her voice, or see her face, or go to a festival with her, or run into her on the streets late at night after work as she came home from the arcade…and he would never get to have a lively, cheerful meal prepared by his mother with her again.

Sakuya had sat down next to him and awkwardly put an arm around his shoulders before Ryouta realized he had been crying. The two sat in silence, Ryouta’s mind swimming with all of the things he would never get the chance to do with his mother and best friend again, as well as all the fantasies he had once imagined giddily like a schoolgirl shattering at the reality that those too would never come true now. Tears rolled down his cheeks and dripped onto his lap. Slowly, cautiously, Sakuya pulled him closer until Ryouta was leaning against him. The fantail rubbed his arm and shoulder, attempting to sooth his sobbing friend. He combed his fingers gently through his hair, finding the act even stranger but recalling that it was supposed to be just as comforting. A part of Sakuya had been ready for this, and to be honest he was impressed that it had taken Ryouta close to two weeks to break down a second time. He wondered if part of it was that Ryouta had been purposefully distracting himself and his eagerness to return to work being a part of that, but he didn’t ask.

When Ryouta’s tears had subsided and all that remained were his dry sobs, Sakuya pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and held it out for Ryouta. The rock dove hesitated before shaking his head and using his own to blow his nose. He wiped at the nearly-dried streaks of tears on his face with the back of his hand.

“You don’t have to push yourself. Take all the time you need.” Sakuya said gently. “You’ve been through an awful lot. No one expects you to be back to your usual self already.” Ryouta only nodded quietly, staring at the floor again. “You have tomorrow and Sunday off, right?”

“Yeah…” Ryouta’s voice was weak, barely audible even to Sakuya who still had his arm around him and was holding him close.

“Sleep in, then. Take a long bath and get plenty of rest. I’ll take care of the chores tomorrow, so don’t feel like you have to strain yourself.”

Ryouta shook his head again. “If I let you do everything, we won’t be eating properly for six whole meals. That’s not good for either of us.” His voice was a little stronger, if only because he wanted Sakuya to take him seriously, but it was still very quiet.

“You can still do the cooking, then.” The fantail sighed. “But leave everything else to me.”

After a few seconds of contemplation, Ryouta nodded again and sat upright. “Thanks, Sakuya.” He took a deep breath and looked up at him. He gave him a faint smile, one that didn’t feel forced to either of them. “You’re a great friend. I mean that.”

Sakuya’s face went pink, but he refused to avoid eye contact now. “You just focus on taking it easy this weekend.”

Ryouta’s smile broadened a fraction and he got to his feet. “I’m going to get a bath first, and then I’m going to bed.” He stated.

“You do that.”

*****

On Saturday, Ryouta did exactly what Sakuya had told him to do. After making them breakfast he did absolutely nothing for the rest of the morning. There were several anime on, and while they were all mid-season episodes of titles Ryouta had never heard of, they provided adequate distraction and entertainment. Sakuya had heard the rock dove and Hiyoko go on and on about the shows they both watched. One time he had even gone out of his way to try and watch them himself, but found them to be too strange for his liking. As he went about dusting and getting laundry started, he couldn’t help but find Ryouta’s occasional laughter both strange and relieving. It was strange because he still did not see the appeal of what was on, and relieving because it meant Ryouta was on the road to recovery again.

When Ryouta made them lunch, Sakuya could almost swear that he could hear the rock dove humming to himself a few times. After the dishes were done, Ryouta announced that he was going to pick up a few things for their dinner. He said that it was only a couple items, and that Sakuya didn’t need to come when he made the offer, but Sakuya persisted and won in the end. Just as Ryouta had said before about his heels, he took them off and put on his usual shoes before they left. Sakuya had nearly made peace with the idea that he would be walking beside a high-heeled younger male; and even found the initial loss of height on Ryouta’s part a little odd. The feeling didn’t last long as the two lapsed into light conversation as they walked.

Sure enough, Ryouta only bought a few spices they were still missing. Even with the bag being very light, Sakuya took it from him without a word and carried it home for him. Upon returning home, Ryouta immediately put his heels back on and went about putting the spices away. Meanwhile, the usual time for Sakuya’s practice had come. He was not used to practicing in the presence of another person, as his father did not approve of his playing at all so he would only do so in the privacy of his own rooms before, but he was not about to skip even a single day for something so petty. Not to mention that as he was living with Ryouta, he would have to get used to it eventually. And so with minimal nervousness, he sat down on the bench and raised the lid. Ryouta left the kitchen as the first few notes began to float through the house. It being the first time he had gotten to hear the entirety of Sakuya’s playing, he savored the melody in silence. It was again a very quiet, soothing tune, and Ryouta could feel his spirits being lifted ever so slightly. He sat down in front of the TV, leaving it muted as there were now reruns of shows he had seen on, and listened to the songs that Sakuya skillfully conjured from the tips of his fingers.

Around an hour into his practice, Sakuya stopped abruptly. The last notes he had played rang through the air as his fingertips slid off the keys and he laid his hands on his lap. Ryouta of course had turned to look at him, surprised and curious and concerned. It might not have been that big of a deal, but this was the second day in a row that he had heard the fantail quit suddenly. He waited a few seconds, the clock on the wall ticking almost deafeningly. When it became apparent that Sakuya was not going to continue again, Ryouta spoke up.

“Is something wrong?” he asked. Sakuya hung his head and breathed a sigh, but said nothing. Ryouta stood up and approached him, coming to stand beside the piano bench and peering down at his friend. “You were playing really beautifully. Why did you stop?”

Another sigh, but this time Sakuya spoke up. “I am a fool, that’s why.” He stated. “You are still grieving and dealing with the shock of all that has changed in what is to you a very short time. Yet here I am, concerned about frivolous things like ‘what if I forgot a very precious photo at my father’s mansion’? It is entirely pathetic and unbecoming of me.”

Ryouta gave him a knowing smile and put a hand on his shoulder. “That’s not true! You’re going through a big change in your life, too. Anyone would be feeling some anxiety. Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“I have had years to plan and prepare for this. I made a list, updated it frequently, and did everything to its letter.” Sakuya groaned. “And yet here I am, worrying that I have forgotten something. I could easily call Yuuya to pick it up for me if I think of anything. I’m not completely out of touch with my old life.” He shook his head and looked up at Ryouta. “Anxiety or no, it is completely foolish for me to be so distracted by these thoughts that I cannot play properly.”

“Don’t disregard your feelings so easily, Sakuya.” The rock dove stressed. “Although if it helps and you are right that Yuuya could fetch anything you’ve missed, take solace in that and try to put it out of your mind.”

The fantail released a third sigh, putting the lid back on the piano and getting to his feet. Ryouta’s hand was still on his shoulder, and even with his heels, Ryouta couldn’t help but wonder again if Sakuya had always been as tall as he was. Sakuya looked at the hand that was touching him, and his cheeks colored faintly.

“I’m going out for a bit to clear my head.” He announced suddenly, stepping aside and out of Ryouta’s reach. “Don’t you do anything while I’m gone!”

Not giving Ryouta a chance to reply or retort Sakuya swept his way to the door, put on his shoes, and left. The rock dove stared at the door for a moment before sitting on the couch again and unmuting the TV. Even with the addition of sound, he didn’t stop thinking about the way Sakuya had been acting. It was true that what he was going through was minor compared to the nearly crushing grievance that Ryouta was still fighting to hold back, but it bothered him that Sakuya didn’t want to even acknowledge the way he was feeling.

The way he was feeling… Ryouta furrowed his brows in thought. Had it just been his imagination, or had Sakuya been blushing around him a lot since he got woken up? It had always been easy to ruffle the fantail’s feathers and get him flustered or embarrassed or angry, but Ryouta couldn’t recall if he had ever really blushed. Similarly, Ryouta wondered about the times he had ever blushed, too. He was certain that half the time just thinking about Hiyoko would make him light up like a Christmas tree, but now that he thought about it, he really could feel butterflies in his stomach every time Sakuya crossed his mind. Even at that moment he could feel them. Just what was it supposed to mean?

The opening theme to Pretty Coore began to play, and Ryouta looked up in delight when he saw that one of his favorite episodes was on. He decided to put the difficult thoughts aside for now. It was the weekend, and he was supposed to be relaxing, after all.

Sakuya returned only minutes before the episode ended, and he called out that he was back as Ryouta let out a whoop of joy followed by laughter, completely enthralled by how the episode was finishing off. Sakuya raised an eyebrow and looked at the TV. Once again not understanding at all what was going on, he instead patiently waited for Ryouta to give him his attention as he half-hid a bag behind his back. The ending credits began to roll and sure enough, Ryouta muted the TV again.

“You know, I’ve always wanted to cosplay Coore Gray.” He said dreamily.

“I’ve heard you talk about it before with-” Sakuya stopped himself, worried that he had already said too much.

“With Hiyoko, yeah.” Ryouta finished. “She wanted to be Coore Dark Gray. We were always trying to think of who would make a good Coore Light Gray.” He looked up at Sakuya. “You probably would have. You don’t look bad in a skirt, you know?”

Stifling the groans of pain he wanted to let out, Sakuya merely narrowed his eyes. “Why not Higure? He seems into that sort of thing.”

“No way! Anghel would have been the fairy that let us transform.” Ryouta declared. “And San is always naked, so he would have destroyed the outfit before putting it on. Yuuya might have made a good magical girl, but I’m afraid he would have preferred seeing an actual girl do it.”

“Then have Nanaki be your Light Gray!!”

Ryouta laughed. “Mister Nanaki as a magical girl? I don’t think that would ever happen. He doesn’t seem like the type who would be able to cosplay. He just isn’t energetic enough.”

Sakuya let out a huff. “No matter, I am still not going to wear something so ridiculous. Ever.” Ryouta whined playfully, but didn’t pursue the discussion any further. Sakuya took that opportunity to hold the bag he had been hiding out to Ryouta. “This is for you. Do with it what you will.”

Curiously, Ryouta took the bag. Inside was a small package that contained two gel insoles. Immediately Ryouta knew what Sakuya was getting at, but had no idea why the fantail would go out of his way to get them for him. Either way he shot Sakuya a bright smile and thanked him energetically. The fantail looked almost as flustered as he had been when he left.

“It wouldn’t do to have you hurting yourself. I don’t think they’ll be much help for your ankles, but at least your arches should feel better.” Sakuya stated.

Having nothing else besides more words of gratitude, Ryouta opted instead to hug the fantail. He quickly rose to his feet and threw himself against Sakuya’s chest, wrapping his arms around the bottom of his ribcage and resting his head against his shoulder. Sakuya fumbled a bit, doing mental gymnastics to try and figure out what he should be doing. Once more he ended up just putting his hands on Ryouta’s back awkwardly, but this time not knowing what to do afterward. It didn’t appear that the rock dove needed comforting, so rubbing his back was out. Before he could try and figure the situation out further, Ryouta lifted his head and pulled away a few inches to look Sakuya in the eye again.

“I’m grateful, really I am.” He said seriously. “For all you’ve done for me. From keeping me sane and on track that day, for helping me to uncover what happened, for making that promise to wake me up, for what you did for my mother, for taking such an active role in discovering my cure, for keeping your promise to wake me, and for everything else that has happened these past few weeks. And even for now, just being here in my house with me. Whether it also helps you out or no, it means so, so much to me that you’re here. You’re still keeping me my sanity chained in place, even though you have worries of your own. So thank you. Thank you so, so much.”

Sakuya stared into Ryouta’s red eyes that were almost on the verge of tears again. An unusual feeling flittered through his mind, one remembering when he and the rock dove were the same age. Ryouta really had not aged a day while frozen, and looking at him made him feel a strange longing for those days when they were in class together with Okosan, Hiyoko, and Kazuaki again. It also reminded him just how much time had passed since he had made his promise. Why had he been so adamant about keeping that promise, or even making it in the first place? He still was not sure, and hardly a week had ever gone by in all those years when he would not ask himself again.

In Ryouta’s case, while Sakuya still had that very faint air of maturity to him, he was still very much the same bird that had gruffly given his introduction on their first day of their second year. Any differences startled Ryouta from time to time, and only served to remind him of the gap that had formed between them. All the same, the Sakuya he knew before going in the freezer and the Sakuya he met coming out were the same person, through and through, and that more than anything comforted and soothed away many of Ryouta’s troubling thoughts.

During the few seconds the two stood staring each other in the eye, neither moved away from or released the other. When they finally began to return to reality and it began to dawn on them how they had been standing, the two awkwardly let go of each other and each took a step back. They avoided eye contact again, both turning shades of pink.

“I suppose there’s nothing to say to that but ‘you’re welcome’.” Sakuya stated, breaking their silence. He glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was still quite some time before they would be eating dinner, and he had hardly gotten any practicing done. He was about to go back to that, but was stopped by Ryouta gingerly taking hold of his sleeve. The rock dove was looking at the ground, but Sakuya could still see the blush that painted his cheeks.

“S-Sorry about this. You can blame it on me still being kind of emotional about everything.” He said quickly. Sakuya hardly had a chance to process the words, let along begin to question what he meant. Ryouta leaned in, somewhat against the fantail, and got up on his toes. The kiss he gave Sakuya was quick and chaste, a light brushing of lips to a cheek, but it was enough to make both of their hearts skip a beat. Just as quickly as it had happened, Ryouta let go of him and was sitting back down on the couch.

Sakuya let him, wordlessly returning to the piano. Panic ran through the rock dove, worried that he had done something really stupid and he was sure that Sakuya would never forgive him for it. As he berated himself in silence over what had been done, the fantail started up a new song. Ryouta’s troubled thoughts ceased within the first few notes. He didn’t know the tune, much like most of Sakuya’s repertoire, but it felt cheerful and perky and far more upbeat than anything Ryouta had caught pieces of before. Ryouta was correct in assuming it was Sakuya’s way of telling him not to worry; that he wouldn’t hold the kiss against him.

Proper confessions could wait for when the both of them were in a less emotional state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't played Holiday Star, you're probably wondering what's up with the Pretty Coore bit. If this is the case and you haven't played it because you are worried it will suffer from the "sequels are never as good as the original" cliche, FEAR NOT! Holiday Star is just as amazing as the original!
> 
> I have, for certain, not written the next chapter to this yet. I don't want to make any sort of promise, but I'm thinking some more flustered Sakuya is in order. Because flustered Sakuya is my favorite kind of Sakuya! Who's with me on this?!


	4. Encounter at Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryouta is surprised to find Sakuya paying him a visit at his work place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This didn't end up being quite as shippy as I had intended it to be, but I am still satisfied with how it turned out. And as promised, there is more flustered Sakuya!
> 
> I proofread this almost immediately after writing it, so if there are more errors than before, that would be why. I was just too excited to post this to wait!

Ryouta and Sakuya never brought up the kiss, though both of them had thought about it a few times. Ryouta always ended up panicking a little whenever it came to mind, wondering if he should apologize again, but he would always remember the cheerful melody Sakuya had played afterward and decide not to, assuming correctly that he had already been forgiven.

Sakuya on the other hand was having a slightly rougher time of it. No matter when it came to mind, he would feel himself blush, which in turn would frustrate him to no end, which then left him in a sour mood. Sure, he didn’t hold it against Ryouta, who would? His classmate and friend was still in an emotionally delicate state, and yet he still went out of his way to try and ease Sakuya’s own grievances. A kiss to his cheek could be overlooked. Besides, he was French! French people, especially those friendly with each other, would often greet one another with a kiss on the cheek! Sakuya had done it plenty of times with the many aristocrat acquaintances his father had had in France. Although he had to admit that having his Japanese friend do it to him in a situation that was far from a greeting was a little strange, it wasn’t entirely bad. It did help him cheer up; in a weird way that he couldn’t quite rationalize. That was the part that annoyed him most: why did it cheer him up so much? Time and again he decided it was not worth the energy required to think about it and he would end up putting it out of his mind.

It was Tuesday before anything broke their routine again. Ryouta had been working as usual that afternoon and was just about to come off his lunch break when one of his co-workers got his attention.

“There’s a guy at table ten asking for you. I told him you were on break and that I would be more than willing to serve him in the meantime, but he said he would rather wait for you.” She stated. “It’s a shame too, he looks like one of those rare men who don’t want to pinch our butts or ask us to sit in his lap. And he’s so handsome, on top of that!”

Ryouta couldn’t help the shaky chuckle that escaped his lips and he cast a concerned gaze at her. “You normally work the night shifts, don’t you? Do those customers always behave that badly?

“They do! They’re terrible! These day customers aren’t so bad, but even they love staring at our legs a little too much. This guy though was a _complete_ gentleman! You’re so lucky, having somebody like that asking for you.” She pouted and glanced at the clock on the wall. “Oops! I only meant to tell you to go serve him when you’re done, and I’ve already taken this much time! Oh, the boss is going to yell at me again…” she whined and hurried out of the break room.

Checking the clock himself, Ryouta stuffed the last of his meal into his mouth and hurriedly put away the box. He always made himself lunch before leaving the house for work and had asked Sakuya more than once if he wanted his lunch made, too. Sakuya turned him down, though, saying he didn’t want to trouble him. While it would be no trouble at all, Ryouta didn’t press the issue too hard; he assumed it was another way that Sakuya was trying to let Ryouta relax.

Straightening his uniform a little bit and fluffing the back of his skirt from having been sitting on it, Ryouta took a deep breath and stepped out of the break room again. The door to it was at the back of the kitchen and out of view of most customers, which in turn meant Ryouta could only see the tiniest sliver of the dining area upon immediately leaving. It gave him enough time to put on a gentle smile and light spring in his step before having to deal with anyone. He greeted the few customers who were already seated in passing, being required to acknowledge any of them he came within a certain distance of if they were not already being helped. He was thankful none of them flagged him down to ask for anything, as sometimes a customer would ask for a another of whatever they were drinking, or for additional food, or for their check if they were in a hurry. He was in the clear to immediately begin serving the gentleman he had been told of.

He nearly froze on the spot when he finally caught sight of silky, light blue locks that peeked over the edge of a menu from the back corner of the café. He managed to keep himself together, though, and put on his best smile as he approached, trying not to let his sudden stage fright get to him.

“Welcome, Master!” he sang, calling the attention of Sakuya, who all but had his nose buried in the menu. He visibly jumped at being addressed and hesitantly looked up at Ryouta. “I heard you were looking for me, I am Coolene.” Ryouta flashed him a grin and removed a pad of paper and pen from the little pocket of his apron. “What should I call you, Master?”

Sakuya, obviously more uncomfortable with the situation than Ryouta, laid the menu on the table and played along as best he could. “Sakazaki. That’s what you should call me.”

Impressed by how readily the fantail gave his new name, Ryouta’s smile grew just a little more genuine. “Right then, Master Sakazaki it is! What can I do for you today?”

Taking that as an excuse to tear his eyes away from his friend and to ease the awkwardness of the whole thing, Sakuya looked back down at the menu. “Th-the B tea set, with… The maid’s strawberry cake.”

Ryouta quickly scribbled the order down as Sakuya spoke. “Of course, Master Sakazaki; anything you’d like! Will that be all?”

“Yes.”

Not sure why he was expecting a longer answer, Ryouta faltered a moment as his mind tried to catch up. “Very well then; B tea set and a slice of my strawberry cake, coming right up! It will only be a moment, Master Sakazaki, please wait patiently.” He sang, turning on his toes in order to return to the kitchen, the frills on the end of his skirt brushing the edge of the table as he did. He chastised himself the whole way to the kitchen, purposefully keeping clear of other tables so that he could get the order done quickly.

“What are you doing, Ryouta? Sakuya’s seen you at work before! In fact, you went out of your way to defend your line of work to him, saying that a maid was like a modern day ninja! What are you getting so nervous for? More than that, how dare you leave even a second’s pause after a customer has told you anything!? Not to mention letting your skirt touch the table! Forget taking too long to pass a message along, the boss would get on your case if he were watching the way you just performed!” he thought to himself as he put together the tea set and fetched a slice of strawberry cake. He took a deep breath and put a little puff of whipped cream on the cake. “Even when Hiyoko visited, you never got this worked up! And she even went out of her way to harass you just as much as the night customers seem to harass the other workers. In fact, Sakuya’s been doing the opposite. He doesn’t even want to look at you if he can help it!”

Ryouta’s heart sank just a little. “Wait, he doesn’t want to look at me?” he whispered, thankful that the kitchen was empty aside from him. “I’m the star of the café! Even though he’s my friend it…kind of hurts my pride a little that he doesn’t want to look at me…” he pouted. “Oh, what am I thinking now?! The boss might be willing to let me pass on being nervous around somebody I know, but he absolutely would chastise me if he knew how long this was taking!” Ryouta lightly patted his own cheeks to get himself to focus again and put on another big smile. “Right, gotta do this properly! Sakuya is a customer like any other, and he deserves the best from me like any other!”

With that he scooped up the tray containing the tea and cake and almost skipped his way into the dining area. He greeted a new customer as she stepped into the establishment, telling her that he would see to her in just a moment while gesturing to the tray he held, and made his way straight to Sakuya’s table. The fantail was pointedly staring at the wall, but his eyes darted over to Ryouta before the rock dove had even spoken up.

“I’m sorry it took so long, Master Sakazaki. I had a little mishap in the kitchen. I hope you will excuse this clumsy maid and will enjoy your tea and cake.” Ryouta half-lied while laying out and pouring the tea and cake for him. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Ryouta hadn’t seen where Sakuya’s eyes had been while he was serving him, but he did notice that they shot back up to meet his when he stepped back from the table and returned his attention to the fantail.

“That’s all, thank you.” Sakuya replied, looking away from Ryouta again.

“I hope you enjoy your meal then. Please do let me or any of the other maids know if there is a problem or if you need anything else, Master Sakazaki.” He gave a short curtsy before whirling around again, this time his skirt not touching anything but the air, and bouncing off. He headed for the entrance where the other customer had already been taken care of, but a new one was waiting instead. Before reaching her, he quickly glanced behind him, and was surprised to see Sakuya quickly turning his head away and picking up his fork, his cheeks stained pink.

“So you _had_ been looking, after all…” Ryouta thought to himself, suppressing a giggle as best he could and greeting the new customer with a refreshed sense of accomplishment about his job.

To his dismay, however, he learned shortly after that while he had been in the kitchen fetching another pot of tea for a different customer, Sakuya had asked for the receipt, had paid, and even left without speaking to Ryouta again. That feeling of accomplishment mostly went out the window, but thankfully Ryouta only had another couple of hours to work before he could go home and see him again, this time without the fake smiles or awkward “Master”-talk. He got through the rest of his shift surprisingly without error, got changed quickly, and nearly ran home.

*****

“I’m back!” Ryouta called out, removing his shoes in the entryway.

“Welcome home.” Sakuya replied, his voice echoing from down the hall.

“Can I ask why you came to the café?”

There was a sigh followed by a long silence. Ryouta had slipped on his heels and was going to pursue the subject further when Sakuya stepped out of his room. He caught Ryouta’s eyes for half a second before looking away.

“I got a call for a job offer, and it took longer than I expected. I was hungry, and your place of work had been in the same area.”

“There are plenty of cafés and restaurants around there.”

Sakuya took a deep breath and laid his face in his hand, a flush just barely visible on his features. “I wanted to see how you were doing, working full time. Are you happy now?”

Ryouta grinned at his honesty. “Thanks for the concern, Sakuya. It means a lot to me. OH! And those insoles are already making a huge difference! My feet don’t hurt nearly as much as they did last week. So thank you again for them.” A thought occurred to him before Sakuya could say anything. “Wait… All you ordered was tea and cake… Don’t tell me that’s all you had for lunch!” Sakuya froze and didn’t deny it. “Sakuya, that’s not good for you! That’s it; I won’t let this happen again!” Ryouta stepped into the kitchen to start preparing their dinner, snatching his apron from a hook by the doorway and putting it on. Sakuya followed him in. “I’m going to start making _both_ of us lunches, and that’s final.”

The fantail let out another sigh. “It was one time. I eat much better under normal circumstances. You do not need to worry yourself over feeding me.”

“I’ve told you this before; it’s no trouble. I’ll just be making more of whatever I decide to have for my own lunch.” The rock dove insisted, going back and forth around the kitchen gathering everything he needed.

Sakuya decided not to press the issue, instead giving a quiet word of thanks and receiving a grin in return. He left the kitchen and went back down the hall, returning to his bedroom. When dinner was ready, the two sat down at the little table in a corner of the kitchen to eat together like always. After taking a few bites, Ryouta began what would be their dinner conversation that night.

“You said you got a job offer; what was it?”

“A small local theater wants a live piano performance for a scene in their next play. I’ve done a bit of work for them before, so they called me first to do the job. I’ll be going to their rehearsals starting Friday so that they can rehearse with the music playing. Their performances are next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The pay isn’t a lot, but it is better than doing nothing.” He paused before adding, “Afterward, a local bar has said they would like for me to play every Friday night for an hour or two. It will mostly be for tips, which again is not much, but it is something.”

“That’s amazing, though!” Ryouta exclaimed. “I didn’t even know you could do something like that!”

“The sorts of places an amateur musician can work are few and far between, but if you are not picky and are persistent there is work to be found for anyone.” Sakuya stated. “While I would certainly prefer my own concert, I am in no position to demand better; therefore I will take what I can get.”

“I still think it’s amazing.” A short silence fell over them, lasting around two minutes. Ryouta hummed to himself before muttering, “I wonder if the café would benefit from having somebody playing piano in the evenings…”

Sakuya almost dropped his chopsticks and choked on the bite of food he had been swallowing. After a coughing fit, drink of water, and a few deep breaths to calm down again, he shot Ryouta a glare.

“I would _never_ work in an establishment like that!” he snarled. “I wore a ridiculous outfit once in school; I have sworn to never do it again!”

“Didn’t you just say you would take what you can get? Besides, no one said you would have to wear the uniform.” Ryouta pointed out with a grin. “I could ask the boss for you.” He puffed out his chest proudly. “I’m the star of the café! If I suggest something, he’s sure to take it into consideration!”

“I would rather not work in an establishment where you parade around so proudly in a skirt that can barely cover your back side.” Sakuya grumbled.

“The skirts aren’t _that_ short! In fact, they’re very reasonable compared to the one I wore the last time I dressed as Santa. Besides, it’s all a part of the modern ninja disguise.”

Another glare was turned towards the rock dove. “About that; I’ve learned a few more things about Japan in the three years you’ve been frozen. Café maids couldn’t be further from ninjas! In fact, the majority of citizens find them to have more in common with-” he stopped short, caught off guard by the pointed look from his housemate that dared him to finish his sentence. “…more in common with a regular server at any restaurant.” He finished with quietly.

“That’s right!” The dove snapped. “We are just like any other servers, and don’t you forget that! Anything else people think we do is completely untrue, and are nothing more than tales that they spin to make us look bad. We serve a niche, a very lucrative niche, and anyone who does not understand that clearly thinks too highly of themselves or does not _want_ to understand what we do.”

Their conversation halted there, and the rest of their meal was finished in complete silence. Every now and then Sakuya would glance up at the angry rock dove, but said nothing. He felt guilty. He hadn’t meant to imply what Ryouta had thought he was going to say, but he wasn’t sure what he could say to convince him of that. He had seen it for himself before. It was true that he did not think highly of the whole maid shtick, but he had seen first-hand that there was nothing inherently sexual about what they did…aside from the short skirts, of course.

When their meal was finished, Sakuya silently began to clean up. When Ryouta stood, Sakuya finally spoke up again. “I’m sorry. I did not mean imply that what you do is immoral.” Ryouta didn’t speak or look or at him. “I still do not find it appealing what you do, but by no means do I think less of you for it.” He waited for the rock dove to respond, and when he didn’t, the fantail set down the plate he had just picked up and placed a hand on Ryouta’s shoulder. The dove looked up at him, searching his face with frustration for any signs that he was being disingenuous. Sakuya swallowed, arguing with himself mentally about what he should say next, if anything. Finally, with what felt to him like the twentieth blush that week, he muttered, “I say I do not want to work at that café because I know I would be too distracted with you flaunting your legs the way you do.”

It was Ryouta’s turn to become scarlet, his skin almost the color of his eyes. He stared at Sakuya in disbelief for a moment before a huge smirk a mile wide splayed itself across his face. “I _knew_ I had caught you staring!” He cried triumphantly.

“I hadn’t meant to!” Sakuya shouted back, pondering how on Earth he was the one feeling most embarrassed at that moment. “Anyone’s eyes would be drawn to movement, and the way you walk makes your skirt move more than should be normal! Those co-workers of yours weren’t anywhere near as bad as you were!”

Somehow Ryouta’s smile got even bigger. “Thanks! I do my best!”

“That was not supposed to be a complement.” The fantail groaned. “I give up!” he returned to the task of cleaning up the table and doing the dishes. “If you wish to ask your boss to let me play, go ahead. I’ll do it. Any exposure I get helps. Just don’t walk that way if I end up sharing hours with you!”

“You’re right; I’m such an amateur at moving my hips the right way. There’s a floor-length mirror in my mother’s room… I should use it to practice and get even better!” he announced before hurrying out of the kitchen and down the hall, leaving Sakuya to exclaim to his retreating figure that that was not at all what he meant and that Ryouta knew it.


	5. The Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After his brother "helpfully" points out several small details regarding Ryouta's new night shift at the maid cafe, Sakuya decides it might be best to walk him home. Ryouta thinks this is the perfect time to get something out of the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been half-finished for almost a week, and I wasn't really intending to release anything on Valentine's Day. But uh...the season finale of a certain popular animated web-series occurred yesterday and it has left me a bit of an emotional train wreck. So finishing this chapter became a coping method and it just so happens that today is Valentine's Day!
> 
> SO HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, ALL! HAVE SOME BIRBS!

Despite Ryouta’s best attempts at persuading his boss, which included plenty of pouting and batting his eyelashes, all he got out of the man was a sigh and a “I’ll think about it. Pianos are expensive and we would need to find a place for it.” Sakuya didn’t seem bothered with the news, and if anything he was relieved that he wouldn’t have to see Ryouta wearing a skirt all the time, not that he was ungrateful for his friend’s attempt to get him more regular work.

While Ryouta’s sex appeal may not have worked the way he had hoped, it did however land him with the offer to work a night shift. The nighttime customers were rowdier and often more inappropriate, but the maids who worked during those hours got paid more to compensate. When Ryouta brought it up with Sakuya, the two talked it over. It seemed the only downside would be that Ryouta would have to prepare their dinners before he left instead of lunches. It was decided Ryouta would take the shift change, but only after Sakuya’s current gig with the local play had ended so they would still be able to sit down and have a meal together at least once a day. Ryouta’s boss was delighted to hear the news; finally his little star would be working with the customers that really brought in the money! He hadn’t been able to have him work late before due to his age, and he did not immediately make the offer when he was woken because he wanted to give him time to recover and get used to full time hours.

About a week had passed since Ryouta delivered the news to his boss when once again he had an unexpected customer show up at his place of work. In fact, two of them showed up. As if Sakuya stopping by of his own accord wasn’t unusual enough, his housemate being dragged into the establishment by his older brother certain was a bizarre sight.

“Salut, Coolene!” Yuuya called out, waving to Ryouta as the rock dove carried used dishes towards the kitchen.

“Oh! Welcome back, Master Sakazaki and…” he gave a moment’s paused and glanced at the disgruntled Sakuya standing beside Yuuya. The fantail shook his just a tiny bit. “…and Master Shirogane! Go ahead and take a seat, I will be with you momentarily.”

Yuuya cast his brother a grin and led the way into the dining area. “If Coolene’s greeted you by name, it means you’ve been here before…”

“Tosaka brought me here when we were in school together.”

The other dove hummed to himself as he took a seat at a booth, Sakuya sitting across from him. “Is that so? Well, I will believe you for now.”

Ryouta appeared beside their table, pen and paper in hand and ready to go. “It’s good to see you again, Master Sakazaki. How have you been?”

“I can’t complain. I finally got time off work, and just happened to run into my little brother. Today has been good!”

“That’s great! So tell me, what will you have this afternoon?”

Yuuya looked over the menu and choose a coffee and cake set, he held out the menu to Sakuya, telling him to pick anything and that it would be his treat. Sakuya gave it a quick once over before making the same order he had the last time he was there. Ryouta repeated it back to them to confirm before bouncing back to the kitchen.

Yuuya watched him until was out of earshot before turning to his little brother. “You said he was going to be working the night shifts soon?”

“Starting on Monday, yes.”

“How late does that mean he’ll be here?”

“Midnight.”

The older bird frowned. “Will be alright?”

“Kawara can handle himself fine. He has shown no signs of fatigue working full time so far.”

Yuuya let out a long, disappointed sigh and shook his head. “That is not what I meant, Sakuya. Ryouta may technically be the same age as you, but he still looks young, and he works in a skirt. He’s also not physically the strongest person. And he’s cute, too. The night is full of people would try to take advantage of him! Don’t you worry for his safety, having him walk home all alone in the middle of the night?”

Sakuya cringed. He didn’t want to admit it, but Yuuya was right. Ryouta would already be working with a lecherous crowd, but at least he would have his co-workers and other customers to keep the environment relatively safe. But alone outside on the streets? Yuuya must have seen the concern cross his face.

“If you’re that worried, perhaps you should walk him home? Or if you’re too busy, you could always give your big brother a call. Even if I am in the middle of a dangerous investigation, I will drop everything to make sure my beloved little brother’s friend is led safely home!”

“I do not need you walking Ryouta home! You are a greater threat to his safety than any common thug!”

“Oh, so it _is_ ‘Ryouta’ now!” Yuuya grinned, causing Sakuya to freeze up. “You don’t have to hide these things from me, Sakuya. I’m so proud that my handsome little brother has finally accepted that he has a friend!” Sakuya laid his face in his palm. “Do not worry; I would never do anything inappropriate to him. Part of the fun of being with somebirdy is that they want you to do those things.”

“I will not be asking you to walk him home, one way or another.”

Yuuya shrugged, seeing Ryouta approaching them with their orders. “Suite yourself.”

The rest of Yuuya and Sakuya’s visit to the café was passed with the two of them talking about what Sakuya had been up to, and Yuuya talking vaguely about what he had been doing for work as well. Ryouta stopped by their table a few times to make sure everything was still okay, but as he was on the clock, did not stay to make small talk.

*****

Ryouta attended the last showing of the play Sakuya was performing for on Sunday. What the fantail had said was true; his job was simply to sit in a corner of the little theater and play a handful of songs during a segment with caroling. The play itself was decent, and although Ryouta didn’t know much about the arts he enjoyed what he assumed was an okay performance. When the show was over, he waited to one side of the room while Sakuya stepped behind the stage to speak with the manager to receive his pay. When he returned, the two joined up and headed home together.

“You played really well, Sakuya!” Ryouta told him once they were outside in the relatively calm and quiet night air, smiling brightly.

“Those pieces were simple, meant for folks who do not know how to sing. Fitting, considering only one person in the cast had even an inkling of how to.”

“Well, I enjoyed it. It was a fun change of pace.”

“I suppose that is all that matters, then; that the audience enjoyed themselves.” Despite his criticisms and apparent displeasure, the corners of Sakuya’s mouth had turned up just a little at Ryouta’s compliment.

*****

Ryouta’s co-worker hadn’t been wrong about the night customers. By the end of his shift, Ryouta had been groped or had his butt slapped by a drunken customer so many times that he had lost count. The café didn’t serve alcohol, but that didn’t stop already boozed up folks from coming in. One time an older woman had even grabbed him by the wrist and made the lewd implication that she wanted to ‘take him home’ with her. The rock dove took it all in stride; he had always prided himself as the café’s star, and to be honest the inappropriate attention was not new to him. The other part-time jobs he had had before often involved customers being far too hands-y, so he was able to brush off most of it with a smile and kindly asking them to stop. Besides, he had been warned several times that the night crowd would be that way, so he was not unprepared for it.

When his shift was finally over, the café only had another hour left that it would be open. Because there were hardly ever more than two or three customers at a time that late at night, the only people remaining were the assistant manager, who often put on a maid uniform of his own and helped in serving, and one of the cooks. Ryouta changed back into his street clothes and said good-night to the cook, yawning as he prepared to step out into the night to make the walk back home.

Yet again he was startled by the presence of Sakuya within the café. Ryouta nearly greeted him in maid-mode until he remembered he was already off the clock.

“Sakuya, what are you doing here?” he inquired.

“I’m going to walk you home.” Was the reply. “Come on.”

Ryouta stood still for a moment, confused, before hurrying after the fantail and out of the building. “Not that I’m not glad you’re here, but I can get home just fine on my own. I’m a boy, you know!” he laughed, falling into step beside him.

“You are young, you are not physically strong, your work uniform includes a skirt, and there are all manner of individuals out there with foul intentions. I am going to be walking you home from now on.” Sakuya stated, recalling everything Yuuya had pointed out to him…and deliberately leaving out the part about Ryouta being cute. “Besides, I wanted to make sure you were not too tired to walk.”

“What would you have done if I had been?” Ryouta asked curiously.

“Call a taxi, of course.”

“I’m not really sure what I was expecting…”

“I am not Yuuya. If you were hoping I would offer to carry you home, you were grossly mistaken.”

Again Ryouta let out a chuckle. “I don’t want you to carry me. Hiyoko did enough of that when we were kids.”

Their conversation lapsed into silence. Not because of an uncomfortable air because of the mentioning of their deceased friend, but rather because Sakuya could think of nothing to say in response. He was glad, however, that Ryouta was able to say her name without nearly succumbing to tears. They were walking by a park when Ryouta stopped and spoke up.

“Hey, can we take a break?”

Sakuya turned and raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said you could get home just fine? Don’t tell me I _will_ have to call a taxi.”

“No! No, not at all! I’m fine. I was just thinking… I don’t know, I just thought it would be nice to take a little breather in the park. We don’t have to; we can keep going and rest at home of you would rather. It _is_ late, after all.”

The fantail looked at the empty park and back at Ryouta who was staring at him, waiting for his answer. He sighed. “Alright, we can take a quick rest.” He said.

The rock dove grinned and led the way into the scenic little area covered in grass and trees. He sat down on the soft grass, and after a moment Sakuya joined him. Ryouta leaned back and stared up at the stars, smiling happily as he allowed himself to take in their beauty. Sakuya, while he had a fair knowledge of different celestial bodies, had rarely ever been one to look up at the stars for most of his life; he had been too busy focusing on doing whatever it was his father expected of him at the time. Now that he was allowed to slow down and do what he wanted, it sometimes still amazed him how many things he had yet to try out. Stargazing was one of those things. As he turned his eyes to the clear sky, Ryouta disturbed his thoughts by speaking up.

“Nageki and Hiyoko told me a story while I was frozen. I wonder if it’s true. They said that when people pass away, their souls get released into the cosmos where they take a train from star to star. Their memories of their life slowly get cast away, left behind with each one they visit, until they forget everything and fall back to Earth, reborn as an egg.”

“I’ve heard about that. There was a story book about it, called _Night on the Galactic Railroad_.”

“Yeah! That’s the one! Have you read it?”

“I have not. I have not read many Japanese books, admittedly.” Sakuya replied, trying not to think about the fact that he had read at least half of Ms. Kawara’s novels that lined a large part of the bookcase in the living room. “I…have been working on changing that, however. I take it you have not read it either.” Ryouta shook his head. “Perhaps we should find a copy one of these days.”

“I think… I think I’d like that.” The rock dove murmured. “If that story _is_ true, I hope Nageki and Hiyoko are able to stay together for a while. They were both so good to me, it’s the least I can do to wish them as much time together as possible.”

Sakuya lowered his gaze from the sky and turned it to Ryouta beside him. “How are you feeling? It hasn’t been that long since we woke you, and I’m told your health was never the best even when you were a chick.”

Ryouta chuckled. “I’m alright. I haven’t gotten a stomach ache once yet; it’s almost a record for how long I’ve gone without one. I’m…a little more on the easily winded side, but that hasn’t been a bother to me so far. Why do you ask?”

“Just checking up on your recovery progress.” Sakuya stated. “How about emotionally? You’ve been talking about Tosaka all this time, and I haven’t heard any tears in your voice yet.”

Ryouta shook his head again, keeping his eyes trained on the stars above them. “I’m…still not altogether comfortable with all of that; Hiyoko, my mother, the fact that three years have passed… It still feels a bit like I’m dreaming sometimes. I can’t say I’m entirely comfortable talking about Hiyoko like this, but if I can’t even say her name without crying, I’ll never get over what has happened.”

Sakuya stared back up at the sky. “That is a good mindset to have. Even in mourning, there is a limit to how much time and energy one should spend.”

He was expecting Ryouta to say something back to him. When he said nothing, the fantail became worried that he had said something too harsh. A quick glance in his friend’s direction left him surprised. Ryouta was smiling. He was still gazing up at the stars, and he was smiling. It was not a small tug at the corners of his mouth; it was a genuine, heartfelt emotion showing on his face. Before Sakuya could even begin to question why Ryouta was so happy, the rock dove finally turned to look at him.

“You’re right. I know I’ve said this before but, thank you for being here with me.”

“I’m only doing what any good friend should do.”

“Good friend…” Ryouta muttered. He began to realize something, and it made the butterflies in his stomach flutter again. “Sakuya, do you know any constellations?” he asked suddenly.

“Of course I do! Where did that question come from?”

“Hiyoko and I used to look at the stars and make up our own. I was just curious. Do you have a favorite?”

“I do, in fact. It’s the fantail!”

Ryouta had to suppress a laugh at how childish his response was. “Can you see it this time of year?”

“You can!” Sakuya said, looking back at the sky and raising a finger to point. “The first two brightest stars to the right of the moon are part of its tail!” He was about to point out what other stars were part of it when Ryouta leaned over and kissed him on the cheek again. There was a pause before he turned to look Ryouta in the eye quizzically. “I could excuse the first time you’ve done that due to circumstances. So let me ask you; what is your excuse this time?”

“I don’t have one.” Ryouta admitted plainly.

“Then _why_ did you kiss me just now?”

“Because I like you, Sakuya.” The unflinching way he stated it shocked Sakuya almost more than what he had actually said. “I like you a lot. The last time I had feelings for somebody, she died before I had a chance to tell her properly.” He smile wavered just a little, almost becoming sad. “Even though I’m still getting over her, and even though I only just now realized that I like you, I don’t want to come to regret not telling another person how I feel. So I kissed you.”

Yep, Sakuya’s cheeks were definitely bright pink now. “Have you ever stopped to think that I’m not interested in men?”

“You’re related to Yuuya and you’ve already admitted to staring at my legs when I wear a skirt.” Ryouta pointed out. “Besides that, I haven’t really put any thought into it. _Are_ you straight?”

Anyone would have been able to tell that Sakuya was struggling to avoid giving a direct answer. He grimaced, went silent, avoided eye contact, and his hands moved awkwardly as he tried to think of how to respond. At first Ryouta felt triumphant, thinking that he had been completely accurate in his assumption, but after a couple of seconds had ticked by he began to wonder if Sakuya was actually trying to think of a way to let him down gently. At long last Sakuya let out a heavy sigh and took a deep breath.

“Ryouta…” he began, still not looking him in the eye.

“Yeah?”

“If you are going to confess to somebody because you don’t want to regret not telling them, don’t do it so half-heartedly.”

Before Ryouta could question what he meant, Sakuya cupped Ryouta’s cheek and pressed their lips together. The butterflies in Ryouta’s stomach felt like they were exploding, making his face heat up as he closed his eyes. The kiss was brief, and both were blushing terribly when they parted.

The rock dove gave the fantail a puzzling stare. “Wh-what?” Sakuya asked.

“Have you been reading my mom’s romance novels?”

“I have not!” he shouted.

Ryouta burst into laughter, not believing him for a second. Sakuya could only grumble and get to his feet, mumbling that they should get home and go to bed. Ryouta stood and dusted the back of his pants, still snickering.

“Right. It’s been a long day. And Sakuya…” The fantail reluctantly looked at him. “I like you.” Ryouta repeated with a grin.

“That’s better…”

Ryouta had been prepared to leave things at that, but before the two began the rest of their walk Sakuya held his hand out to him. The fantail was avoiding eye contact yet again, but his cheeks were still stained pink. Ryouta giggled as he took it.

“Don’t expect me to do this at a time when people would actually see us.” Sakuya mumbled as they left the park.

“You’re going to be walking me home from work from now on, right?” A nod was given in answer. “Then we can hold hands then, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Sakuya gave a noncommittal grunt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell that I really love the idea of Sakuya secretly enjoying trashy romance novels? Like really, REALLY love the idea? Because I do.
> 
> SOME RANDOM TRIVIA: Did you know that St. Pigeonation's is an all-boys school, not including Hiyoko? Well, it is. Did you also know that A) there's a part in the manga where Yuuya receives a ton of Legumentine's beans from other students, B) Yuuya has said in the first game "I'm always straight in love. Well, almost always.", and C) he has also stated "I guess I'm topic of choice among the boys now as well as the girls. Not that I mind." in the same game...so I guess Yuuya is canonically bisexual! I thought I would point all of this out in case anyone was wondering why Ryouta would mention him in regards to Sakuya's own sexuality.
> 
> Also YAY! Their relationship is actually going somewhere! For a while there I was worried it wouldn't be. >.>' If you've ever tried to write anything with any sort of length and plot, you probably know that sometimes things just do not go the way you had intended. For example, I planned for that first real kiss to occur back at the end of chapter three. But when I reread it before posting it, I realized that felt way too rushed. And chapter four never had a good point to toss it in. So yeah. I'm very happy about this one.


	6. Distracted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryouta wakes very early after having an unusual dream. He remains noticeably distracted for the rest of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, I want to take a moment to thank all of you that have stuck with this so far. I've been keeping an eye on the Kudo:Hit ratio and I am COMPLETELY blown away by how much attention and favor this has been getting. It almost puts a tear in my eye. That's probably the main reason I've even bothered to write three whole new chapters for this since uploading it. Thank you. It means a lot to me to see how well liked this is.
> 
> And now for something far less serious.
> 
> Mmm, boy! Look at that rating bump! From teen to mature. Hm, I wonder why that is. B)

Sakuya had him backed against a wall in the kitchen of the café. All of the lights were off, and the entire place was empty. Ryouta was the only worker still there, and he was still in uniform. He felt the lace of his skirt against his thigh as he shifted, looking around to see if he could find a way out from how the fantail had him pinned. Why could he feel the lace so clearly? It felt like his body was hypersensitive to touch somehow. Sakuya smirked at him and leaned down, close to his ear.

“It’s just us, Coolene. Why are you acting so nervously? Isn’t this what you wanted?” he breathed.

A shiver ran down Ryouta’s spine. Sakuya’s breath was so warm…

“What’s gotten into you, Sakuya? Somebody will be in here any minute, we’ll be seen!”

“I don’t believe we have anything to worry about. Your manager left already, didn’t he?” Sakuya’s hand was on Ryouta’s thigh now. “You look wonderful in your uniform. The skirt makes your legs even more appealing.” His hand began to trail up to the edges of the lace. Ryouta’s breath caught in his throat as he felt fingers gently slipping under the frills and across his bare skin.

“We still shouldn’t be doing this here…” Ryouta protested weakly, turning his head away from where Sakuya had been. The fantail chuckled seductively and instead pressed his lips to Ryouta’s exposed neck.

“But this is the only place you ever wear a skirt, Ryouta.”

Another shudder ran through Ryouta’s body. He was definitely reacting to all of this attention, even if he didn’t want to admit it. Sakuya’s fingers hadn’t stilled. They were already up to his hip, and were starting to move inwardly. No! If Sakuya keeps going, he’s going to…going to…he’ll find…he’ll touch… Ryouta moaned.

And opened his eyes.

It was dark, but he was alone. He was in his room and he was alone. His breathing was heavy and he could feel the sweat on his skin. His mind was hazy, and he glanced at the clock beside his bed. It was a little after four in the morning, still far too early for him to be awake. He breathed deeply, wiping sweat-soaked locks from his forehead. He knew he was blushing, and he knew exactly what he had just been dreaming about. He placed a hand over his eyes, praying that they were not adjusted enough to the darkness. With the other hand, he gripped the edge of his blanket and lifted it. Gathering his courage, he let himself peer beneath.

Of course…

Shame washed over Ryouta. It was four in the morning and he had just had a dirty dream about his best friend and new crush, and had woken up with an almost painfully hard boner. It had only been two or so weeks since he had confessed to Sakuya. All that had happened between them was still the single kiss and holding hands every night as they walked home together. Why would Ryouta be dreaming about Sakuya touching him like that?!

It didn’t really matter. Ryouta could already tell he wasn’t going to be able to get to sleep while being so hard. He looked at the clock again. Only two minutes had passed. Great, this was going to be a long morning… He breathed a sigh and kicked his blanket off, getting to his feet. The bathroom was down the hallway and directly across from Sakuya’s room. He was sure to hear if Ryouta went and took a shower, but at this point Ryouta would prefer to wash the sweat from his body as well as take care of the more pressing issue than to try and sleep everything off. Silently apologizing to the fantail for the disturbance, Ryouta slipped into the bathroom and turned the shower on.

*****

He couldn’t believe himself. Neither for what his brain had concocted for him or for what he had done of his own free will. He replayed what happened in his dream over and over, and fretted for minutes on end that Sakuya might have heard what he did in the shower. No. Sakuya couldn’t have! Ryouta had kept very quiet, he was sure of it! And he had made certain not to come anywhere close to saying anything that could sound like the fantail’s name! Sakuya probably just heard the running water and that was it. Nothing to be worried about. Yeah… But what if?!

Eventually Ryouta’s tired, stressed mind let him sleep more, but it was far from restful. He woke nearly every hour, feeling entirely uncomfortable no matter what position he laid in, and his dreams were wrought with almost-nightmares. When his alarm went off at nine in the morning, he was certainly feeling worse for wear. Even Sakuya noticed his sluggishness and how flustered he was as he tried to make them breakfast.

“Are you feeling alright?” Sakuya asked.

“Huh? Well, I guess I’m a little tired…” Ryouta half-lied. It was true that he was lacking sleep, but his mind kept reminding him of what he had dreamt of and it was distracting him greatly.

“More than a little! You’ve nearly dropped everything you’ve touched today, and you’ve barely eaten!”

Ryouta looked down at his plate. “I just had a nightmare, that’s all. It’s nothing to be worried about, Sakuya. I’ll be fine.” He tried to reassure him by taking another bite.

“Maybe you should take today off work.”

Ryouta fervently shook his head. “No way! I’m the main bread-winner in this house! I can’t take time off work just because of a silly nightmare.”

“If it were so silly, you wouldn’t be so flustered. What’s wrong? What happened in your dream that’s made you like this?”

Sakuya’s glower made a knot form in Ryouta’s stomach. No way could he be honest about that! He tried to come up with something he thought Sakuya would buy. What came to mind was cliché, and he prayed that Sakuya was still naïve enough to be fooled by it.

“I was being chased.” He said, knowing full well how generic that was. “I don’t know by what, but I was running for my life. I tripped and fell into a river. I thought I was going to drown…” He glanced up at his housemate who was still listening intently. “I guess I’m not a good swimmer even in my dreams.” He laughed weakly. “When I woke up, I was all sweaty. That’s why I took a shower this morning.”

Sakuya nodded and returned his attention back to his food. “Stress. A nightmare like that is definitely the result of stress. I thought you said you were recovered physically, at least as far as you could tell. So that means something has been bothering you emotionally.”

Ryouta sighed. “I’m fine. I was annoyed when we got home last night, remember? A few too many drunken customers trying to be hands-y with me. That’s probably what did it.”

“Maybe…” Sakuya mumbled, and Ryouta had to wonder if he actually bought it. One way or the other, the discussion ended there.

Ryouta was soon feeling better and he relaxed on the sofa beside Sakuya in the early afternoon before his shift. Earlier that week an envelope had come in the mail containing a couple new issues of the Golden Weekly. Anghel had sent them; wanting to be sure Ryouta was caught up with his manga. It had reminded the rock dove that he hadn’t been reading it at all. So he had begun working on doing so. The characters were unmistakably himself, Sakuya, Anghel, and everyone else that had been directly involved in the Hurtful ordeal. The setting was a dark fantasy, and the language was dripping with Anghel’s unique vocabulary. It was unusual, and made Ryouta a little uncomfortable with how closely it matched everything that had happened to them. But for the most part it was an enjoyable read, so he kept at it. He was on the second-to-last one that he possessed, and it provided ample distraction from the events of that morning.

He was able to make their dinners without error, which was cause for Sakuya to smile while watching him. Ryouta was glad. The fantail had been keeping such a close eye on him all day, he had been so concerned. It made him nervous.

“I think I’m going to leave early, Sakuya. I want to run an errand before going in to work.” He announced, putting Sakuya’s dinner in the refrigerator and his own into his bag.

“Are you sure? I could do it for you.”

Ryouta shook his head. “No, it’s a personal one.” The look Sakuya gave him was nothing short of anxious. “Don’t worry!” The rock dove assured him. “It isn’t anything to be worried about. It’s just…something only I can do. You have work tonight, right? You should focus on practicing. I’ll be waiting for you at the café after work like usual.”

*****

Ryouta’s time at work started out fair enough. He was able to mask his lack of sleep for a while with a broad smile and warm tone to his voice. After a couple of hours though, he began to lose his chipper attitude and the bounce in his step. He yawned in the kitchen as he fetched a couple of coffees, and he was beginning to feel his mind go hazy and he was stumbling a little every time it happened. To top it off, the lace on his skirt was a lot itchier than normal and it took everything in his power not to scratch at it. At his break, he sat down and could tell he was nearly falling asleep every time he blinked. The manager of course had observed all of this and approached him.

“Rough night, Ryouta?” he asked.

Ryouta tried to smile up at him, but even in his tired state he knew it was unconvincing. “I’m sorry, sir. It won’t happen again!”

“Listen kid, it happens to all of us.” He said a lot more amicably than Ryouta had expected. “Why don’t you take the rest of the night off? Rest up, enjoy your weekend, and come back in on Monday bright and ready to win over customers again.”

“No! I’m fine, really!” A yawn betrayed him.

The manager smiled. “Call that roommate of yours and have him pick you up if you need to, but go home. You’re in no condition to work and you know it.”

Without another word he turned on his heel and left the break room, allowing no more room for discussion. Ryouta breathed a heavy sigh and got to his feet. Luckily for him one of the part-timers had just come in, so he was able to quickly hand off all of his tables to him. Back in the break room, Ryouta got his bag out of one of the lockers and dug through it until he found his phone. Sakuya would probably be walking to his own place of work by now, but he should still have his phone on him.

“Sakazaki Sakuya speaking.” The fantail answered.

“Have I told you how happy I am that you say that so easily now?” Ryouta laughed.

“Ryouta… Why are you calling me? Are you on break?” Sakuya asked, his voice not telling if he was annoyed by the rock dove’s comment or if he was actually happy for it.

“Um, not quite. I guess I really was too tired to work tonight. The manager told me to take the rest of the night off and get some rest. So I’m going home now. I thought I’d call you so you don’t have to come by the café tonight.”

There was a short silence as Sakuya checked the time on his watch. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Wait for me.”

“Sakuya! I can get home by myself. It isn’t that late yet!”

“No can do. If you were tired enough that your manager has sent you home, then I do not trust you to make it back unharmed.”

“I’m not Mister Nanaki! I won’t just fall asleep on the sidewalk! Besides, you still have work to do of your own. Don’t be late because of me.”

“I can call in and let them know I will not be playing tonight.”

“That’s irresponsible.”

“So is leaving you unattended while you aren’t feeling well.”

Ryouta groaned. He wasn’t up for arguing about it anymore. He knew temper was going out the window, but so was his ability to function properly in general. “Alright, alright. I’ll see you soon.”

“Eighteen minutes now.”

“I got it.”

Ryouta hung up and put his phone back in his bag. He dug his clothes out and was about to step into the bathroom to change when he spotted the paper bag that had been sitting just beneath his street clothes. He hesitated, grabbed it, and proceeded to the bathroom.

None of his co-workers or the customers paid him any mind as he stood off to one side of the entrance in the café. He rocked himself back and forth on his heels and toes a little to keep himself stimulated and awake, as well as out of boredom. He only had a couple of minutes to wait, but being so tired it felt like an eternity. Not soon enough, Sakuya stepped into the establishment. He noticeably flushed and grimaced upon seeing Ryouta.

“C-come on. We’re going home.” He stammered and avoided eye contact with the rock dove. Ryouta felt a small glimmer of victory as he hurriedly followed the fantail outside.

“I thought you would protest more.” Ryouta laughed as he caught up to Sakuya.

“I didn’t want to make a scene…” he replied, still not looking at the shorter male and walking almost too quickly. “What on Earth are you wearing?!”

Ryouta glanced down at the pleated skirt he had donned. It went down passed his knees, making it the most modest skirt he had ever worn that he could remember. He smiled brightly as he looked back up at his friend.

“It’s a skirt, of course! I bought it before work. I figured you’d be uncomfortable if I went with anything shorter, but this one was still cute.”

Sakuya laid his face in his hand. “I know it is a skirt. And I’m still uncomfortable with it no matter how long it may be! Have you really just taken your strange comfort of being in women’s attire to this level, or are you more tired than either I or your manager thought?”

“I’ve never had a problem dressing like a girl. I like skirts. I promise I won’t make this an everyday thing, but I miss dressing up all the time for all the odd jobs I used to do. All I have now is the café, and one outfit gets boring after a while. How exhausted I am has nothing to do with it.” Ryouta replied unyieldingly. “Although my dream might have had something to do with it…” he added in his head, hoping that his cheeks would not betray him.

The fantail said nothing else on the matter. He checked his watch again. It was a little after nine o’ clock. The streets still had some traffic, but they weren’t crowded. With some reluctance he offered Ryouta his hand. When Ryouta shot him a surprised look, he mumbled.

“It’s dark. If anyone sees you, they’ll probably think you’re a girl. It’ll be okay the rest of the way home.”

The smile Ryouta had at Sakuya’s reaction to his skirt had been tiny compared to the way he was beaming as he took the fantail’s hand. His delight was short-lived; as Sakuya had barely wrapped his fingers around Ryouta’s when he stopped short and faced the rock dove with a look of shock on his face.

“Your hand is really warm.” He stated. “Too warm.” He brought his free hand up to Ryouta’s forehead and pressed the back of it there. Ryouta had to admit that Sakuya’s hands felt unusually cool and pleasant on his skin and he closed his eyes softly. Sakuya lowered his hand to his cheek and then to his neck, squeezing Ryouta’s palm as well. “You’re running a fever.”

“I am?” Ryouta asked, putting his own free hand to his forehead once Sakuya had retracted his.

“It isn’t too high, but it is a good thing you got the rest of the night off.”

“Huh, I guess so…”

“Go straight to bed when we get home. You can bathe in the morning.”

“Right. I will.”

“Lost all of your fighting spirit?” Sakuya asked as they began to walk again.

“I guess so. I mean, if I’m running a fever then I really should rest.” He breathed a sigh and thought to himself, “Good, I can blame being distracted not only on lack of sleep, but on getting sick as well. But it’s too bad… I was kind of hoping Sakuya would like the skirt. Maybe I should have gone with a miniskirt after all.”

“The one you’re wearing is fine.” Sakuya suddenly said, causing Ryouta to snap his gaze up to him again. The fantail was purposefully not looking at him in return. “I can see you staring dejectedly at your skirt. It’s fine. You don’t have to go and find a shorter one. That one is…”

“What about it?” Ryouta asked curiously.

“It’s fine!” Sakuya snapped. Both were startled by how harsh he had sounded, and Sakuya immediately lowered his voice. “Sorry… It’s fine. That skirt looks… It’s…cute…” he mumbled, blushing again. Ryouta’s heart fluttered and he stepped closer to Sakuya, almost leaning on him. “Careful! You’ll knock us both off balance!”

“I won’t.” Ryouta giggled, although he did move away again.

*****

Eggs and toast, two of the few things Ryouta had been able to teach Sakuya to make reliably. While the fantail was certainly not bad at cooking, he lacked even the most basic history with it. He had never even had to boil his own water for tea growing up, let alone prepare any sort of meal from scratch. So when Ryouta woke and could already smell the food he had just finished making, he appreciated it all the more. The rock dove didn’t need to leave his bed; Sakuya brought it in for him before he had the chance to try. Lucky timing, it seemed.

“How are you feeling?” Sakuya asked.

“I think I’m doing better.”

Sakuya reached a hand out and Ryouta closed his eyes almost on reflex. The fantail repeated the pattern from the night before; checking his forehead, cheek, and neck to determine his temperature.

“It feels back to normal.” He said, retracting his hand. “That’s good. I have to go out today. You aren’t to try and do anything strenuous, understand?”

“I won’t. I’ll probably just finish reading Anghel’s manga. Where are you going?”

“I have to speak with Doctor Iwamine.” Ryouta shot him a look and Sakuya continued. “You needn’t worry yourself over me or what I am going to say to him. He asked that I report anything that happens to you in the first six months, so I’m going to. I promise, he won’t find a stress-induced fever worth caring about, but I must tell him about it anyway.”

“Couldn’t you do that over the phone?”

“That’s what I asked, but he said he would prefer to meet in person. Before you ask, I’m not going to be in any danger. He was hardly physically capable before, but Nanaki really did a number on him three years ago. He’s recovered and can walk about his own house freely, but outside he’s mostly wheelchair-bound. Not to mention we’ll be meeting at a park, one I have been to often enough before, and it is very public. Nanaki and the doctor’s children will be there as well.”

“His children?”

“I’ll explain when I get back. I’m already a bit late as it is. Finish eating and relax until I get back.”

Without another word, Sakuya left Ryouta’s bedroom and the house. Ryouta obediently downed his breakfast. The eggs were just a little overdone, but everything tasted fine otherwise. He put his dishes in the sink, not daring to clean them himself, and took a quick shower. Finally he flopped onto the sofa in the living room and picked up the last magazine he had on hand. He opened it up, found the page Anghel’s manga was on, and flipped to it. He hardly read a page before he lowered it to his lap and grabbed a pillow from beside him, hugging it close to his chest and staring off into space.

“I wonder what Sakuya would say if…if I told him that…” he muttered aloud. He set the magazine beside him and brought his knees up to his chest too. “…if I told him that yesterday made realize something very important.” He breathed a sigh. “I really want him to do me…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The nightmare Ryouta makes up is actually pretty similar to one I've had. I guess that means I have pretty generic nightmares? At any rate, I'm so happy with how their relationship is finally able to progress, you have no idea! The kiss at the end of the last chapter is just the tip of the iceberg of what I want to do here eventually. It may have taken a lot of odd turns, but I think I'm finally on a track that I'm really happy with.
> 
> HONK HONK, ALL ABOARD THE SHIPPING GARBAGE TRUCK!


	7. Working Hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryouta begins work on something he has been putting off for too long: his mother's room. At the same time, he and Sakuya continue to get closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My goodness, it's been like five months since I updated this! Sorry folks, but I did warn ya'll at the start that I am terrible with multi-chapter fics. ANYWAY! I'm not too sure if the quality of this chapter is quite up to the others, but I did my best. So please do enjoy this belated update.

True to his word, Sakuya had tried to explain what he had meant by “Shuu’s children” when he returned from his errand. Whether it be from Sakuya’s lack of completely understanding the circumstances himself, or Ryouta not quite being able to grasp what it meant that his own father, Ryuuji, had been caring for a pair of mutants without his and his mother’s knowledge, Ryouta wasn’t sure what to make of it at all. In some ways it sparked jealousy that his father might have cared more for Miru and Kaku than for his own son, but in others Ryouta was just thankful that Shuu didn’t try and be a parent to him, too. Sakuya shared the latter sentiment.

The rest of their week passed with little of anything eventful, although a particular question lobbied the rock dove’s way one evening made him pause. He filed it into the back of his mind for later, but forgot to bring it up when he was being walked home by Sakuya. After that, it didn’t cross his mind at all.

On Saturday morning, the two decided it was finally time to do something they had been putting off. They were going to start going through Mrs. Kawara’s belongings. They had been into her room about once a week to dust, and each time Ryouta would mumble that something should be done, but hadn’t yet brought himself to going through with it. Hauling several boxes and empty trash bags into the room, it suddenly hit Ryouta how real it was that they were finally going to be digging through and getting rid of most of his mother’s belongings. It pained him to think about the room becoming empty, but he knew it had to be done anyway.

They started simply. Ryouta had Sakuya help him clear everything from surfaces and into boxes. Things like her alarm clock, a set of candles, a long-dead potted plant, and others were put into the brown cardboard containers and hauled into the living room. Ryouta insisted he would go through them individually later in order to further decide what would happen to them. Next he had Sakuya go through her closet. It was very neatly arranged, mostly containing fancier clothing and her collection of shoes. Ryouta would look over each piece as Sakuya brought them out and tell him to put them into one of three piles; trash, donate, and keep. Of those that went into the keep pile, Ryouta had taken most of them and held them up to his own figure, uncaring of what Sakuya thought of his doing so. For his part, the fantail had decided that if Ryouta was going to go ahead with his cross-dressing no matter how he felt about it, he may as well not say anything. Truthfully he was starting to slowly warm up to the idea, seeing as he couldn’t deny anymore that the rock dove _did_ look cute in his work uniform and the skirt he had bought.

Once all contents of the main part of Mrs. Kawara’s closet had been sorted, they began to bag up the articles that were to be thrown out or donated to thrift stores. They labeled each bag accordingly and for the time being left them on the unoccupied bed. Ryouta hauled his small pile of footwear and clothing into his own room to be washed and put away later. Back in his mother’s room, Ryouta looked between her wardrobes and the bookshelf beside her bed. When his eyes lingered on the books, Sakuya decided he should speak up.

“If I may, would you let me decide which of those to keep?” he asked, eyeing the shelves himself.

“Oh! Um, sure. Just don’t throw anything away without telling me. I’ll just go through the drawers now.” Ryouta replied. He hadn’t been expecting Sakuya to be so direct, but truthfully Ryouta had begun to find it endearing how much the fantail so obviously enjoyed the cheesy, filthy romance novels his mother had collected over the years. Besides, if Sakuya was willing to do the bulk of the work with them, it was a load off Ryouta’s shoulders.

And so the two set to work on their respective tasks. As expected, the drawers were mostly full of everyday clothing. Ryouta sorted them much the same way as those that had been in the closet. Despite their value being less than the others, these he found to be harder to throw out. They were the clothes his mother had worn time and again and had loved for one reason or another. In the end most ended up going into the donate pile because he couldn’t bring himself to simply get rid of them. Other drawers contained files and assortments of papers of varying importance, which Ryouta added to the boxes in the living room to be sorted through later. By the time each drawer had been emptied, Sakuya had already hauled the books he knew he wanted to keep into his own room. The rest sat neatly stacked atop the short bookshelf. Ryouta couldn’t suppress the chuckle that bubbled up when he saw just how small a stack it was compared to what had been there.

After everything had been properly bagged up or put aside to put away later, they braked for lunch. For the first time since their moving in together, Ryouta allowed Sakuya to go and buy convenience store food for them, being too exhausted to cook at the moment. They ate in the living room, neither caring enough to sit at the table in the kitchen. As they ate, Ryouta sat on the floor and began to look over the contents of the boxes they had brought out. Most of the things his mother had kept out in the open could probably be stored away in case something happened. It would certainly save them a few bucks if one of their alarm clocks stopped working or if the power went out and they had no batteries for a flashlight, or something. While he sorted those things out, Sakuya reclined on the sofa and flipped open the book he had been reading for the past day or two.

The silence between them dragged on, and after a few minutes Ryouta found himself bored of just going through old belongings. His choice in conversation wasn’t well thought out, but it broke the silence at least.

“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask but keep forgetting…” Sakuya raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t put down the book. “…Are we dating?”

Taken aback by the question, Sakuya had to pause a moment to fully process what the rock dove had just said. “Why do you ask?” he questioned, partly trying to give himself more time.

“Well, I mean, I’ve told you how I feel, and we hold hands all the time walking home after work now. But we’ve only kissed the one time. I’ve had a few customers rather suggestively ask if I was seeing anyone, and I never know how to answer them. Not that it’s any of their business, nor do I want to date any of them but…” he trailed off.

“I…I can see where your confusion is coming from.” He set his book aside again to give Ryouta his full attention. “I haven’t given it much thought myself, truthfully. I’ve never given much thought to dating at all, be it with you or in general. Would you say we are?”

“You’re the one who reads the romance novels! I’d think you would know better than me.”

“Believe me; most of these books are trash. Normally the characters say they are dating after the first time they have had sex. That’s how poorly written they are.”

Ryouta couldn’t help but marvel briefly at hearing Sakuya say “sex” without a second thought. “So… Neither of us knows if we’re dating. Shouldn’t we decide on that?”

“Does it matter?”

“I guess not.” Ryouta admitted. “It just feels a little strange. I’ve done things with you that I hadn’t even done with Hiyoko, so I don’t think we’re just friends anymore, right? I just want to know to label…” he motioned between them. “THIS.”

“Hm, you have a point.” Sakuya sighed. “Do you _want_ to us to be dating?”

“Of course I do!” the rock dove shouted. “I really like you, Sakuya. You’re talented, smart, although a bit gullible, strong, proud, and extremely pretty on top of that! I don’t think the question here is if I want to be your boyfriend or not. What about you? Do you want to be dating _me_?”

Once more the fantail was taken aback by all the complements being levied his way. They were nothing out of the ordinary; plenty of his father’s wealthy friends had called him all of those things and more over the years. He had been his father’s pride and joy for a reason. This was the first time such admiration in such great abundance had been given to him by a friend of his own, though. He could feel his cheeks staining pink again and avoided eye contact.

“Dating a weak, cross-dressing, mongrel bird who is only capable of doing domestic chores…” Ryouta frowned. Sure all of that was true, but he couldn’t help but feel annoyed that Sakuya had called him a “mongrel” again. Sakuya lowered his voice when he spoke again. “…and who is supportive of me even when my grievances are petty compared to his own, who has allowed me to live away from my father, and who is admittedly cute…” It was Ryouta’s turn to blush. “I think I would like to try it. Dating you, that is.”

Giddy, Ryouta hauled himself up onto the couch beside Sakuya. The rock dove wasted no time in excitedly throwing his arms around Sakuya’s shoulders, causing the fantail to nearly topple over. Giving his new boyfriend a smile, Sakuya shifted around to face him more comfortably. In doing so, he ended up giving Ryouta the perfect opportunity to press their lips together. Where Sakuya had been gentle and even shy about their first kiss, Ryouta’s was clumsy but full of the same energy he was feeling right then. Even in the brief moment it lasted, Sakuya realized he liked that level of excitement the rock dove brought into it.

They shared another quick, energetic kiss before Ryouta slipped away from the fantail and got to his feet. Before Sakuya could ask where he was going, the rock dove scurried into his mother’s room and retrieved what remained of her books that had been in there. He took his seat on the floor again, but this time timidly opted to lean against Sakuya’s legs as he worked.

*****

Ryouta felt up to making them dinner when the time rolled around. Sakuya had begun to help him a bit more in the kitchen, doing things such as getting their rice started and fetching pots and pans, and even doing some very basic cutting if Ryouta needed it. All throughout their prep, the rock dove wanted so badly to find ways to steal even more kisses from the fantail. He didn’t though, as he was very aware that doing so might be a hazard. He didn’t need any food getting dropped or fingers being cut, after all. That didn’t stop Sakuya from leaning in close to him while he watched him cook, though. The thought that perhaps Sakuya had wanted to be flirty with him as well made Ryouta’s heart beat loudly.

While they ate, Ryouta explained that he wanted to take some of his mother’s things to be donated first thing in the morning. After that he planned to keep going through the rest of her belongings until everything got sorted and taken where ever they were supposed to be. Sakuya agreed to help him carry things and to keep working in her room if Ryouta wanted his help.

After the dishes had been washed, Sakuya went to get his shower. In the meantime, Ryouta put in a DVD of one of his animes and began to rewatch it. He had tried before to get Sakuya to watch it with him, explaining that with his help Sakuya might be able to understand it better and therefore appreciate or even like it. But Sakuya still refused. His loss, Ryouta thought.

Sakuya finished his shower just as the episode ended, so the two switched places. Sakuya raised an eyebrow at the finely dressed crow on the TV where the anime was paused. It reminded him of Albert, which in turn made him wonder if perhaps Ryouta and Hiyoko had ever made jokes or comments about him that had gone clear over his head. That thought alone almost made him want to give the anime a try. Almost. Okay, now he was curious.

When Ryouta was done and had left the bathroom, he was surprised to find Sakuya lying across the length of the couch reading again. Sakuya had become plenty comfortable in the privacy of their home, but seeing him lounging in such a way was entirely new still and Ryouta couldn’t help but stare. Sakuya caught him, but didn’t point it out or ask why. Instead he put his book aside and glanced at the TV.

“Start it again.” He told the rock dove.

“Wait, you want to watch it with me?” Ryouta asked, his eyes widening with delight when he received a nod.

“Oh, okay! Yeah uh… Sure. Let me just…” He approached the couch and Sakuya drew up his legs so Ryouta could sit. While the rock dove fumbled with the remote to restart the series, Sakuya shifted so that he was lying on his side. “So like I said, this is technically the third season, but you don’t really need to watch the first two to understand what is going on. They’re mostly unrelated. Especially the second one.” Ryouta muttered quickly. “Just let me know if you don’t understand something.”

They sat through three episodes before agreeing it was time for bed. Sakuya had asked a few questions, but for the most part just watched quietly. Ryouta wasn’t sure if Sakuya was enjoying it like he obviously was, but before they said good night he asked if they could continue it tomorrow after they got more work done. Delighted, Ryouta said they could. The smallest of smiles tugged at Sakuya’s lips at hearing that, and he leaned down to give the rock dove a kiss good night.

Ryouta was practically on cloud nine as he closed his bedroom door. He wanted to let out a cry of joy, but kept quiet so as not to disturb Sakuya. While he still longed to be even more intimate with the fantail, they had come a long way that day. He flopped onto his bed and tried to suppress the giggles that bubbled up from his chest. Finally he could say with confidence that he was somebirdy’s boyfriend, and that that somebirdy was Sakuya made it all the better.

*****

The following day started out much the same. After dropping off a good portion of the clothing Ryouta intended to donate, he and Sakuya went back to work going through Mrs. Kawara’s belongings. Ryouta hadn’t been aware of just how many things his mother owned, and in some ways wondered just how much he must have in his room without realizing it. They braked for lunch again, which Ryouta made as they hadn’t done quite as much work as the day before. Afterwards they decided to continue watching the anime they had started. The more they watched, the more Sakuya’s interest showed, and Ryouta loved observing his reactions.

Until a particular scene played, however. The titular character needed information and had decided the best way to get it would be to seduce and sleep with the one adult woman in the current cast. The scene itself wasn’t explicit, but Ryouta couldn’t help the deep blush that spread across his face when it happened. He glanced at Sakuya and was glad to see that the fantail too had turned a little pink. When the episode ended, Ryouta mumbled that he had forgotten that scene was a thing. It wasn’t entirely true, but he never really thought about how awkward its sudden arrival could be in the presence of another person.

“I’ve read worse…” Sakuya replied, not looking his direction.

“That reminds me, what exactly are those romance novels like? You said they were bad and that the characters have sex but…”

The fantail groaned. “What’s there to tell? They usually have a featureless protagonist who is only meant for the reader to insert herself into, and the leading man is usually conventionally handsome and wealthy. They meet through some contrived manner and begin seeing each other for no good reason. Often times the man will invite the protagonist to his luxurious apartment for dinner; they drink just a little too much wine, and end up having sex. From there misunderstandings, love triangles, or the ever clichéd ‘choose between work and romance’ happen. And everything is concluded when the protagonist and the man kiss and declare they will always love each other.”

“How detailed do those books usually get?” Ryouta asked.

Sakuya blushed again. “Sometimes they’re about like what just happened in the show. Other times they use entirely too flowery of language to describe the entire act from beginning to end. No matter which way it is presented, the majority of it is terrible.”

“So sometimes it’s actually good?”

“…Very rarely, yes.” He replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Awkward silence fell over them. Ryouta wasn’t sure if he should be imagining how Sakuya would “react” reading such things, so he did his best to push those thoughts from his mind. He was sure he was beet red, and a quick look in the direction of Sakuya’s face told him plenty about where the fantail’s mind probably was.

“So…you don’t have to answer this but… Have you ever…?” Ryouta tried, unable to say aloud exactly what he meant. He had a feeling he didn’t have to.

“No!” Sakuya shouted immediately, glaring at him. Hardly a second passed before the fantail looked away from him again and mumbled out, “…Maybe… Once… A few times…”

That definitely put images into Ryouta’s mind that he probably shouldn’t be thinking of. Neither bird could look at each other as they both went quiet again. After a long minute, punctuated the whole time by the droning tick of the clock on the wall, Sakuya rose to his feet and headed for the front door.

“I’m going out for a run.” He announced.

He hadn’t gone out that morning or the day before because of the work he and Ryouta were doing, but Ryouta wasn’t about to point out that it was probably okay for him to skip out on it. Once the door shut behind him, Ryouta quickly retreated into the bathroom to get his shower early. Just as Ryouta didn’t question why Sakuya left, the fantail didn’t even raise an eyebrow at the rock dove’s wet hair when he returned.

Thankfully the tension between them faded as Ryouta resumed his work and Sakuya set to practicing the piano. The fantail was willing to put off one day of practice to help Ryouta, but two was out of the question. By dinner they were back to normal, and again Sakuya said nothing when Ryouta didn’t bother to get a shower that evening.

Before going to bed, Sakuya caught Ryouta by the arm and pulled him into a kiss. He had meant for it to be a simple peck good night, but somehow they ended up with their arms tightly around each other, lips pressing harshly against each other. Neither was certain who it was that parted their lips first, but the other was quick to gently probe with his tongue to meet the first’s. It was Ryouta who had to break off their kiss after several seconds, coughing a little into the crook of his arm as he tried to get his breath back. Unsure of how to they were supposed to stop things there, but knowing all too well where it would go if they didn’t, both birds mumbled their good nights and quickly retreated to their respective rooms. Ryouta was both happy and frustrated that he had to work the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may or may not be on a Black Butler kick at the time of writing this. I apologize for nothing! Also I don't know if Japan has thrift stores and the like, but nuts to it. I wanted some way for Ryouta to not have to trash everything belonging to his mother!
> 
> Aside from that, I want to admit that after the previous chapter, I'd realized that I had written myself into a corner and couldn't figure out how to get out of it. About a week later, I'd given up and moved on. With any luck that won't happen again. At least, not before I can finally make the sexy times happen. Because believe me, I want that to happen! I probably want it to happen more than you do!


End file.
